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Biomedical subjects

D G McDevitt

Publications and source records attributed to D G McDevitt.

215 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1970

The relevance of the anti-human globulin (Coombs) test and the complement-fixation test in the diagnosis of brucellosis.

The relationship between the serological findings for brucellosis and the epidemiological factors has been studied in veterinary surgeons in Northern Ireland. The anti-human globulin (Coombs) test and the complement-fixation test for brucella were used in two groups of veterinary surgeons, those self-employed and those employed by the Ministry of Agriculture.Significant serological differences were found to exist between the two groups. Those in private practice showed changes related to age, cattle skin rash, reactions to S. 19 vaccine accidents and symptoms suggestive of brucellosis in the past or the last year. But those working for the Ministry only showed titre changes related to the length of their private practice experience before joining the Ministry. In neither group was there a relationship between serological findings and the type of milk drunk or any particular group of symptoms suggestive of brucellosis.The findings indicate that high titres to brucella by the Coombs and complement-fixation test can occur in people repeatedly exposed to infection at work. Titres which would be of diagnostic importance in the rest of the population may be of little diagnostic significance even when they are as high as 160 Coombs and 128 complement fixation.

Adult↗
PubMed1969

The cardio-toxicity of isoprenaline during hypoxia.

1. The effects of the intravenous injection of isoprenaline on heart rate and arterial pressure has been studied in dogs artificially respired with room air or with 12% oxygen-88% nitrogen.2. In dogs breathing room air, isoprenaline in doses from 0.02 to 500 mug/kg increased heart rate and reduced arterial pressure. Ventricular fibrillation was produced in one out of three dogs given 250 mug/kg. This was the only dog breathing room air which was killed by isoprenaline.3. In dogs breathing room air the repeated intravenous injection at 5-min intervals of 2.5 mug/kg increased heart rate and reduced arterial pressure. No ill effects were produced by six doses.4. In dogs respired with 12% oxygen-88% nitrogen the PaO(2) was reduced from 84 to 38 mm Hg with no changes in PaCO(2). In these dogs death was produced by doses of isoprenaline which in dogs breathing room air produced normal responses.5. The fatal dose of isoprenaline (10-50 mug/kg) reduced heart rate and arterial and pulse pressures; sinus rhythm persisted until arterial pressure was less than 50 mm Hg. Ventricular fibrillation did not occur; death occurred from cardiac asystole.6. Death was produced in a similar way in dogs with hypoxaemia by giving four or five doses of isoprenaline (2.5 mug/kg) at 5-min intervals or by two doses of 25 mug/kg.7. The final reduction in arterial pressure during a fatal response resulted from a reduction in cardiac contractility.8. These lethal effects of isoprenaline could be prevented by pretreatment with propranolol.

Animals↗
PubMed1968

Comparison of the effects of I.C.I. 50172 and propranolol on the cardiovascular responses to adrenaline, isoprenaline and exercise.

1. The intravenous infusion of I.C.I. 50172 in doses up to 20 mg reduced, although not significantly, the increase in heart rate produced by the infusion of isoprenaline in healthy volunteers; the response to adrenaline was significantly reduced. The infusion of 1 mg propranolol abolished these responses2. After the pre-treatment of subjects with atropine or hexamethonium, I.C.I. 50172 produced a significant reduction in an isoprenaline tachycardia. This reduction was not competitive and did not exceed 50%.3. The intravenous injection of 4 mg I.C.I. 50172 reduced an exercise tachycardia; its effect was less than that of 4 mg propranolol. This difference became greater as the doses of the two drugs were increased. The dextro isomer of propranolol had no effect on the exercise tachycardia; I.C.I. 45763 reduced it to the same extent as propranolol.4. The intravenous injection of I.C.I. 50172 reduced the increase in heart rate produced by tilting a normal subject from the supine to 80 degrees head-up position. After the administration of atropine, I.C.I. 50172 almost abolished the response. In the presence of atropine, I.C.I. 50172 was as active as propranolol in reducing the increase in heart rate on tilting.5. The reason for the differences in the effects of I.C.I. 50172 on the increases in heart rate brought about by the three procedures is not clear.6. The increase in forearm blood flow produced by the infusion of isoprenaline into the brachial artery was not reduced by the intra-arterial administration of I.C.I. 50172.

Anilides↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Adverse reactions and interactions with beta-adrenoceptor blocking drugs.

beta-Blocking drugs are widely used throughout the world and serious adverse reactions are relatively uncommon. Most of those which do occur are pharmacologically predictable and may be avoided by ensuring that patients who are to be given beta-blockers do not have a predisposition to the development of bronchospasm, cardiac failure or peripheral ischaemia. In some situations, the use of a beta 1-selective blocking drug may reduce the risk of a severe adverse reaction, but there is little evidence that other ancillary properties such as partial agonist activity are of relevance in this context. Long term experience with many of the beta-blockers in current use suggests that unpredictable major adverse reactions such as the practolol oculomucocutaneous syndrome are unlikely to be repeated, although some of these drugs may be associated with immunological disturbances and some have been implicated in the development of retroperitoneal fibrosis. beta-Blocking drugs appear to be associated with a number of subjective side effects including muscle fatigue, peripheral coldness and some neurological symptoms. These side effects are highly subjective and are therefore difficult to quantify and it is not known whether they are of major importance in terms of their effect upon patients' overall well-being. It cannot be assumed that simply because such side effects can be elicited that they do, in fact, matter. However, because beta-blockers are often prescribed for patients who have no symptoms and for whom the benefits of therapy are generally small, such side effects would be of considerable importance if they had an overall effect upon quality of life. There are theoretical reasons to suppose that the incidence and severity of such side effects may be related to the ancillary properties of the individual drugs, but there is little evidence that parameters such as beta 1-selectivity, or partial agonist activity are clinically important determinants of the severity of these side effects. Lipophilicity, however, may be associated with an increased incidence of neurological symptoms. beta-Blocking drugs may cause a variety of metabolic disturbances including an increase in serum VLDL-cholesterol concentrations. However, long term studies have not shown that such disturbances are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, indicating that such metabolic changes may not be of major importance in practice. beta-Blocking drugs may be involved in a number of interactions with other drugs, but few of these have been shown to be of clinical significance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Digoxin withdrawal after cardiac failure in patients with sinus rhythm.

A double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial of digoxin withdrawal was undertaken in 22 patients with sinus rhythm who had a previous history of frank heart failure and were taking therapeutic doses of the drug. During the course of the study, 14 patients showed no clinical change whether taking digoxin or placebo, five patients deteriorated on placebo (four with heart failure and one with supraventricular tachycardia), and three on digoxin (two with heart failure and one with digoxin toxicity). These differences were not statistically significant. Compared to placebo, patients, while taking digoxin, had lower resting heart rates and significant shortening of all the systolic time intervals. The drug appears to exert a sustained positive inotropic effect during maintenance therapy, but this is not of clinical benefit to the majority of patients.

Aged↗