Halofantrine given with food for falciparum malaria.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Antimalarials↗
Biomedical subjects
G Watt
Publications and source records attributed to G Watt.
3,4-Diaminopyridine reverses respiratory paralysis induced by a presynaptically active snake venom and its major neurotoxin.
Presynaptically active snake venom neurotoxins induce a potentially fatal neuromuscular blockade which cannot be reliably overcome by current therapy. The drug 3,4-diaminopyridine (DAP) is effective in other presynaptic paralytic conditions and was therefore tried in anaesthetized rabbits with respiratory paralysis induced by krait (Bungarus fasciatus) venom. A strain gauge pneumograph measured rabbit chest circumference during the respiratory cycle to document objectively effects of toxins and treatments. DAP counteracted the effects of both whole krait venom and its purified presynaptically active component, beta-bungarotoxin. Respiratory excursions increased within 4-8 min after DAP injection in animals paralysed with beta-bungarotoxin and 4-10 min after the injection of DAP in animals paralysed with 1 mg/kg whole krait venom. The onset of complete respiratory paralysis after a lethal dose of whole krait venom (2 mg/kg) was delayed significantly by DAP. This is the first indication that presynaptic venom paralysis can be reversed and suggests that DAP merits further evaluation as treatment for this condition.
4-Aminopyridine↗
"Unwarranted survivals" and "anomalous deaths" from coronary heart disease: prospective survey of general population.
OBJECTIVES: To assess survival in people who are at apparent high risk who do not develop coronary heart disease ("unwarranted survivals") and mortality in people at low risk who die from the disease ("anomalous deaths") and the extent to which these outcomes are explained by other, less visible, risk factors. DESIGN: Prospective general population survey. SETTING: Renfrew and Paisley, Scotland. PARTICIPANTS: 6068 men aged 45-64 years at screening in 1972-6, allocated to "visible" risk groups on the basis of body mass index and smoking. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Survival and death from coronary heart disease by age 70 years. RESULTS: Visible risk was a good predictor of mortality: 13% (45) of men at low risk and 45% (86) of men at high risk had died by age 70 years. Of these deaths, 12 (4%) and 44 (23%), respectively, were from coronary heart disease. In the group at low visible risk other less visible risk factors accounted for increased risk in 83% (10/12) of men who died from coronary heart disease and 29% (84/292) of men who survived. In the high risk group 81/107 who survived (76%) and 19/44 (43%) who died from coronary heart disease had lower risk after other factors were considered. Different risk factors modified risk (beyond smoking and body mass index) in the two groups. Among men at low visible risk, poor respiratory function, diabetes, previous coronary heart disease, and socioeconomic deprivation modified risk. Among men at high visible risk, height and cholesterol concentration modified risk. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in survival between these extreme risk groups are dramatic. Health promotion messages would be more credible if they discussed anomalies and the limits of prediction of coronary disease at an individual level.
Aged↗
Dementia in acute units: agitation.
Despite the prevalence of disturbed behaviour in people with dementia, little research has gone into understanding such behaviour and managing it effectively. This article, the penultimate in the series, examines the causes and management of restlessness and agitation in people with dementia, and proposes a holistic approach.
Aged↗