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Biomedical subjects

J F May

Publications and source records attributed to J F May.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Captopril compared to atenolol in mild to moderate hypertension in a randomized double-blind controlled trial.

After screening a local population in the northern part of The Netherlands for hypertension, 125 patients (116 of whom had not previously used antihypertensive drugs) with a five times elevated diastolic pressure (DP) of between 95 and 130 mmHg were randomized and treated daily either with atenolol 50 mg o.d. (n = 62) or with captopril 25 mg b.i.d. (n = 63) for 2 months under double-blind conditions. During this period the DP fell by 9 mm under atenolol (from 107 +/- 8 to 98 +/- 8) and by 8 mm under captopril (from 107 +/- 7 to 99 +/- 9). The number of responders with a DP = less than 90 mmHg was 21% and 20%, respectively. After 2 months the double-blind period was ended and the patients were submitted to a medication protocol for another 4 months in which an increased dose and additional nifedipine were given to non-responders. The response rate rose to 76% (atenolol/nifedipine combination) and to 60% (captopril/nifedipine combination) - NS. It is concluded that low doses of atenolol and captopril are equally effective in lowering blood pressure in uncomplicated mild to moderate hypertension.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Quality of life on antihypertensive therapy: a randomized double-blind controlled trial of captopril and atenolol.

A randomized double-blind study lasting 2 months was performed with either 25 mg captopril twice a day or 50 mg atenolol once a day in 125 patients with established diastolic hypertension (diastolic blood pressure greater than 95 mmHg) identified during a population screening programme of subjects aged less than 65 years. Quality of life was assessed from self-completed questionnaires. A significant fall in diastolic blood pressure occurred with both captopril (106.7 +/- 7.0 to 98.6 +/- 8.6 mmHg) and atenolol (107.4 +/- 7.5 to 98.2 +/- 8.1 mmHg) but there was no difference between the two drugs in the size of the fall. A measure of the number of symptomatic complaints, the symptom complaint rate, decreased with both drugs, by 1.3% for captopril and 3.1% for atenolol, but the difference between the drugs was not significant [1.8%; 95% confidence interval (Cl) - 1.3%, 4.9%]. There was a significant increase in the reporting of cough and runny nose in those on captopril compared with atenolol. A health index increased by 1.1% with captopril in comparison with no change on atenolol (difference 1.1%; 95% Cl - 2.0%, 4.2%). Psychological well-being was measured using the Symptom Rating Test. The improvement in total score was 1.4% with captopril and 2.3% with atenolol. The difference of 0.9% was not statistically significant (95% Cl - 1.2%, 3.0%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Affect↗
PubMed1990

Groningen Hypertension Service: ten years experience in detecting and treating hypertension in a population of 23,340 persons in rural and urban districts in Holland with a special hypertension service.

The Groningen Hypertension Service (GHS) has demonstrated that provision of training for volunteers, technical assistance and the services of the General Practitioner Laboratory (a private foundation offering laboratory and diagnostic facilities) have enabled large rural and urban districts to be screened for hypertension within a short period of time at low cost. The GHS trained volunteers and paramedics, who assisted with the treatment for six months. The General Practitioner Laboratory evaluated treatment in nearly 600 hypertensive patients, leading to the institution of low-dose therapy and careful investigation of side-effects.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Self-screening of blood pressure and sodium in a 24-hour urine sample as part of a school health programme.

A study was conducted to determine the usefulness of self-screening of blood pressure in families as part of a school health care programme, and to study the relationship between BP and sodium excretion in school children. In 750 families with 10-13 year old children, the mothers were instructed to take BP measurements on themselves, their child and the father whilst at home. A comparison of the children's BP measurements at home and at school with those of the parents showed the home measurements to have the closest correlation with parental BP. Twenty-four hour sodium excretion and sodium/potassium ratio in children of borderline hypertensive mothers were positively related to children's BP.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

A delay in the appearance of myosin in dystrophic chicken embryos.

Growth patterns during myogenesis were observed in vitro using normal and dystrophic New Hampshire Red chick embryos. The pectoral muscles from 6 d old embryos were removed, dissociated and grown in culture. Smaller muscle straps, both in size and number, as well as pseudostraps were seen in cultures from the myopathic embryos. There was a 1 1/2 d delay in the appearance of thick myosin-like myofilaments as well as large polyribosomes actively synthesizing myosin in the dystrophic muscle cells. Myosin may be a necessary constituent during myogenesis for the occurrence of normal fusion and thus myotubes.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Comparison of atenolol 50 mg and 100 mg as initial treatment in uncomplicated mild to moderate hypertension.

After screening a local population in the northern part of The Netherlands for hypertension, 59 patients with a diastolic pressure (DP) between 95 and 130 mmHg were randomized and treated either with 50 mg atenolol (n = 29) or 100 mg atenolol (n = 30) for 1 month. There was no significant difference between the two treatments, neither in the fall in systolic and diastolic pressures nor in the number of complaints reported. It is concluded that in the initial treatment of uncomplicated mild to moderate hypertension, 100 mg atenolol has no advantage over a 50 mg dose.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

A comparison of labetalol and prazosin combined with atenolol in non-responders to atenolol plus hydrochlorothiazide in uncomplicated hypertension.

After screening two local populations in the northern part of The Netherlands for hypertension, patients with a diastolic pressure (DP) between 95 and 120 mmHg were treated daily either with 50 mg hydrochlorothiazide or 100 mg atenolol. Nonresponders were given the combination and if necessary the dose of atenolol was increased to 200 mg. Non-responders to the latter combination were randomized and treated either with 50 mg hydrochlorothiazide and labetalol or with 50 mg hydrochlorothiazide, 200 mg atenolol and prazosin. If after 1 month a DP less than or equal to 90 mmHg had been reached the patient was reassessed after a further 3 months. If a DP greater than 90 mmHg was found the dose of labetalol or prazosin was increased and the patient was re-examined after 1 month. This protocol was followed until the maximum dose was reached or adverse reactions prevented a further increase in dosage. During 6 months of treatment there was a further drop in systolic and diastolic blood pressures under both regimens of, respectively, 8.6 and 2.4 mmHg for labetalol, and 7.7 and 5.0 mmHg for the prazosin group. At the end of the period the average daily doses of labetalol and prazosin were 1256 mg and 4.3 mg, respectively. There was no significant difference in the average number of complaints between the labetalol and the prazosin group.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Aspects of normal and dystrophic chicken muscle grown in vitro.

Pectoral muscle from normal and dystrophic New Hampshire chicken embryos was dissociated and grown in vitro. Marked differences between the two types of cell cultures were observed with the light and electron microscopes during early myogenic stages. The diseased myoblasts assumed a polarized affect and fused into smaller and fewer myotubes. Pseudostraps rather than true muscle straps were often seen in diseased cultures. There was also a delay in the appearance of myosin containing thick myofilaments in differentiating dystrophic muscle cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Prognosis in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

A long-term prognostic study of 129 patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (initial value for forced expiratory volume in 1 sec [FEV1] smaller than or equal to 1,000 ml) is reported. Data from the patients (72 per patient) were obtained in a clinically stable phase during the first hospital admission and subsequent regular outpatient visits; the data were processed using multiple regression and discriminant analysis. Five- and 10-year cumulative survival rates were 69 and 40 per cent, respectively. Prediction of survival rate was determined mainly by the rate of decrease in initial FEV1 per year and the degree of increase of initial FEV1 after administration of thiazinamium, a bronchodilator. Initial FEV1 values per se contributed to prediction only when they were less than 450 ml. Study of the data from the individual patients showed the presence of different types of decrease in FEV1: linear, exponential, combined linear-exponential, and phasic. FEV1 sometimes remained unchanged for several years or even showed an increase. No sudden decreases were observed. The better survival rate in patients with greater reversibility of airway obstruction after administration of thiazinamium has important bearing on treatment policy. The hypothesis is put forward that the better survival rate in the present study might be the result of continuing medical care. Comprehensive treatment, provided it includes a component directed at preventing and treating reversible airway obstruction, may be of major importance in determining survival in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The value of so-called dominant, survival-predicting factors is considered to be of secondary importance; their main function is to alert the physician to the fact that prognosis as concerns survival may be unfavorable and that preventive and therapeutic measures should be taken without delay.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1977

A computer program for ECG classification according to the Minnesota code.

A program for the automated generation of Minnesota-codes from the standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) recorded at rest has been developed. The program has been written as a part of the Modular TNO ECG/VCG Processing System. Results of the program on two sets of ECG'S (279 predominantly normal recordings and 286 consecutive recordings from a Cardiological Department) are presented. These electrocardiograms were also coded by hand by different ECG technicians. An agreement of 83% between hand and computer coding was obtained. One-third of the disagreements (6% of the cases) is caused by small differences (less than 5%) in the measurements between technicians and computer.

Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted↗
PubMed1975

The induction of atherosclerotic plaque-like mounds in cultures of aortic smooth muscle cells.

Smooth muscle cells harvested from the tunica media of piglet aortae were maintained in continous culture for 10 months. When grown in the presence of 95% air and 5% CO2 they maintained a mature morphology as evaluated ultrastructurally. As these populations became confluent, the cells became oriented parallel to each other. When grown in the presence of 4% O2, 91% N2, and 5% CO2, this polarized pattern was disrupted. Focal areas of lipid accumulation were observed, succeeded by mound formation at these sites. The mound stained positive with PAS, aldehyde fuchsin, and oil red O. They were surrounded by 2-4 layers of intact cells. The centers of the mound were composed of extracellular material and cell debris.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Family planning in Rwanda: status and prospects.

This article analyzes the status and future prospects of family planning in Rwanda. The use of traditional contraceptive methods is examined and major constraints to modern contraceptive use are discussed, both for potential users (low demand) and family planning delivery systems (poor supply). Current contraceptive prevalence, as well as evidence of potentially higher demand, are analyzed. Contraceptive prevalence for modern methods is estimated at 3-4 percent, for 1988, of women of reproductive age who are at risk of exposure to conception. An attempt is also made to target future contraceptive prevalence rates needed to attain specific levels of fertility. Finally, the prospects for family planning as well as recommendations to increase contraceptive use are reviewed.

Adolescent↗