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Biomedical subjects

J Fujii

Publications and source records attributed to J Fujii.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

Relative bioavailability of midazolam following sublingual versus oral administration in healthy volunteers.

The extent of bioavailability of midazolam following sublingual and oral administration were evaluated. Three healthy volunteers received a single 15-mg dose of midazolam maleate by sublingual and oral routes on two occasions in a ossover design. Concentrations of midazolam in plasma during 4 h after each dose were measured by gas-liquid chromatography with an electron-capture detector. The mean AUC0-4 value following sublingual administration was significantly greater than that following oral administration (14889 vs 3594 ng. min/ml, p less than 0.05). The peak plasma concentration after sublingual dose was also significantly higher than that after oral administration (p less than 0.05). The mean AUC0-4 value of midazolam after sublingual administration was increased four times compared with that after oral administration, possibly due to avoidance of first-pass effect. Thus, the clinical effects of midazolam may likewise be enhanced by sublingual administration of midazolam.

Administration, Oral↗

Relationship between plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide and cyclic guanosine monophosphate in patients with heart diseases.

The relation of plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) to those of cyclic 3', 5'-guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) was studied in 43 patients with various heart diseases. Plasma levels of both ANP and cGMP were significantly (p less than 0.001) elevated in 34 patients with chronic heart diseases, and a significant positive correlation was observed between the two variables (r = 0.706, p less than 0.01). Clinical improvement of congestive heart failure resulted in a concomitant decrease in plasma ANP and cGMP levels in 6 patients. In 3 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, plasma levels of ANP and cGMP increased markedly during arrhythmia. These results indicate that increased circulating ANP may stimulate cGMP production in target cells, which in turn raises plasma levels of cGMP in humans.

Aged↗

Hematocrit increase by mental stress in hypertensive patients.

Hematocrit (Hct) changes during mental stress were studied in 21 patients with mild hypertension. A 10 min arithmetic stress test increased blood pressure from 129 +/- 2/80 +/- 2 mmHg (mean +/- SEM) to 167 +/- 5/98 +/- 3 mmHg, and heart rate from 64 +/- 2 to 81 +/- 3 (p less than 0.001). Concomitantly, a significant (p less than 0.001) increase in Hct was observed (from 41.5 +/- 0.7% to 42.2 +/- 0.8%), and increments of Hct (-0.1% to 2.2%) were significantly (r = 0.61, p less than 0.01) correlated with those of systolic blood pressure. Plasma levels of norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (E) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) also showed a significant increase after mental stress. All these changes disappeared after a 60 min recovery period. The results suggest that mental stress increases Hct promptly, which may be due to concomitant increases in plasma NE, E and ANP levels. Hct elevation resulting from mental stress may be clinically relevant, at least, in hypertensive patients who are at risk of occlusive vascular diseases.

Adult↗

Effects of monotherapy and withdrawal of antihypertensive drugs in the treatment of hypertension.

The final number of antihypertensive drugs used in the long-term treatment of a given patient is not always predictable at the start of therapy. By reviewing clinical records, we retrospectively examined the relationship between pretreatment blood pressure and the final number of drugs administered in 282 patients with mild to moderate hypertension who had been treated for 5 years or more (average 9.7 years). After years of treatment approximately one third and one half of 137 patients with a pretreatment diastolic blood pressure of between 90 and 104 mmHg were well controlled with combined therapy and monotherapy, respectively. The drugs had been withdrawn in the remaining 17% for 12 months or more. Lower pretreatment systolic blood pressure and lower pretreatment QRS voltage were signs favorable for withdrawal of the drugs. Combined therapy was required in more than half the patients with higher pretreatment diastolic blood pressure.

Adult↗

[Treadmill exercise echocardiography: quantitative analysis of regional left ventricular wall motion by computer graphics].

To detect significant coronary lesions based on exercise-induced reversible asynergy, two-dimensional echocardiograms were recorded before and immediately after treadmill exercise test in 15 patients with angina pectoris (AP) and six patients with neurocirculatory asthenia (NCA). Short-axis views of the left ventricle were analyzed quantitatively, using the following indices: segmental area change (%A); segmental wall thickness change (%Th); and relative curvature (rC) which was the product of curvature of each segment multiplied by end-diastolic circumference. The results were compared with those of coronary angiography, T1-201 myocardial emission computed tomography, and exercise electrocardiography. 1. The results of comparisons of quantitative analysis by %A, %Th, and rC with qualitative (visual) analysis were as follows: the sensitivities were 57%, 74% and 91%; the specificities were 75%, 75% and 90%; and the accuracies were 68%, 75% and 90%, respectively. 2. To detect coronary stenosis of more than 75%, visual assessments and assessments by rC were superior to assessments by %Th or %A. The accuracies were 93%, 91%, 73% and 61%, respectively. 3. In five cases with three-vessel disease, all diseased coronary arteries were detected by treadmill exercise echocardiography using rC as an index. However, by treadmill exercise T1-201 myocardial emission computed tomography, the diagnosis of three-vessel disease was possible in only one case. 4. The results of treadmill exercise electrocardiography were positive in 11 of 15 the AP patients and in all six NCA patients. The results of exercise echocardiography using rC as an index were normal in all NCA patients and abnormal in 14 of the 15 AP patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Human leucocyte antigen in variant angina.

Human leucocyte antigen analysis of 45 patients with variant angina was performed to determine the presence of causative genetic factor(s). A significantly low frequency of human leucocyte antigen DQ omega 3 was found in these patients, as compared with that in 152 normal Japanese adults. There were no differences in frequencies of antigens between patients with normal and those with atherosclerotic coronaries. These data suggest that some genetic factor(s) may contribute to the pathogenesis of coronary spasm.

Angina Pectoris, Variant↗

Effect of beta-adrenergic receptor blockade on atrial natriuretic peptide in essential hypertension.

Plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) were measured in 32 untreated subjects with essential hypertension and in 31 patients undergoing long-term treatment with beta-blockers. Patients receiving beta-blockers had significantly higher mean plasma ANP levels (72.0 +/- 36.0 [SD] pg/ml) than did untreated hypertensive subjects (39.8 +/- 15.8 pg/ml; p less than 0.01) and healthy normotensive controls (33.9 +/- 16.6 pg/ml; n = 61, p less than 0.01), while the mean plasma ANP concentration in untreated hypertensive subjects was not statistically different from that in control subjects. Administration of atenolol, 50 mg/day, for 4 weeks to 10 untreated subjects resulted in a significant (p less than 0.001) rise in plasma ANP levels (from 38.8 +/- 9.5 to 68.7 +/- 20.6 pg/ml). In 31 patients undergoing long-term treatment with beta-blockers, multivariate regression analysis revealed that age, pretreatment mean blood pressure, and plasma concentration of cyclic 3',5'-guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) were significant predictors of plasma ANP levels. These results suggest that beta-adrenergic receptor blockade in patients with essential hypertension elevates plasma ANP levels with a concomitant rise in cGMP concentrations, and that increased ANP in plasma may play a role in the compensatory mechanism that operates in response to beta-adrenergic receptor blockade.

Acebutolol↗

Complete complementary DNA-derived amino acid sequence of canine cardiac phospholamban.

Complementary DNA (cDNA) clones specific for phospholamban of sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes have been isolated from a canine cardiac cDNA library. The amino acid sequence deduced from the cDNA sequence indicates that phospholamban consists of 52 amino acid residues and lacks an amino-terminal signal sequence. The protein has an inferred mol wt 6,080 that is in agreement with its apparent monomeric mol wt 6,000, estimated previously by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Phospholamban contains two distinct domains, a hydrophilic region at the amino terminus (domain I) and a hydrophobic region at the carboxy terminus (domain II). We propose that domain I is localized at the cytoplasmic surface and offers phosphorylatable sites whereas domain II is anchored into the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

High renin hypertension in the elderly.

This paper describes clinical features of high renin hypertension in the elderly. Peripheral plasma renin activity ranged from 0 to 20.1 ng/ml/hr in 59 hypertensive in-patients aged 70 to 86. The patients were divided into 2 groups: 9 cases with plasma renin activity greater than or equal to 3.0 ng/ml/hr (high renin group) and the remaining 50 with plasma renin activity less than 3.0 ng/ml/hr (control group). The development of hypertension differed between the 2 groups. Six of the high renin group (66.7%) had a history of acceleration of previously mild hypertension, while only 3 of the control group (6.0%) had this history (p less than 0.01). The frequencies of high diastolic blood pressure (greater than or equal to 120 mmHg), massive proteinuria (at least 3.0 g/day), hypokalemia (serum potassium less than or equal to 3.0 mEq/L) and high serum cholesterol (greater than or equal to 250 mg/100 ml) were significantly greater in the high renin group than in the control group (p less than 0.01, respectively). Renovascular hypertension was suspected in 6 patients from the high renin group (66.7%), as compared with 1 of the control group (2.0%) (p less than 0.001). There was massive proteinuria in 3 of 6 patients with renovascular hypertension in the high renin group and 2 showed nephrotic syndrome. Thus, two-thirds of the elderly patients with high renin hypertension had probable renovascular hypertension with a history of rapid progression of hypertension.

Aged↗

Clinical significance of atrial natriuretic peptide in human blood.

In an attempt to clarify the clinical significance of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in man, plasma levels of immunoreactive ANP were studied in patients with heart diseases and in those with chronic renal failure. When ANP concentrations in pulmonary arterial plasma were compared with hemodynamic variables in patients with heart diseases who underwent cardiac catheterization, a significant positive correlation was found between plasma ANP levels and mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, while plasma ANP levels were not significantly correlated to mean right atrial pressure (MRAP). After the injection of contrast medium, both MRAP and plasma ANP levels increased and a significant positive correlation was observed between two variables. Plasma levels of ANP were elevated in patients with congestive heart failure according to the severity. In addition, patients associated with atrial fibrillation showed significantly higher plasma ANP levels than those on sinus rhythm. In patients with paroxysmal atrial arrhythmias, plasma ANP levels increased markedly during paroxysms. Patients with chronic renal failure had elevated plasma ANP levels, which fell after hemodialysis. These results suggest that both left and right atrial tissue can secrete ANP as a result of stretching of the cardiocytes in man and that plasma ANP levels are elevated in patients with congestive heart failure and in those with chronic renal failure by increased atrial pressure due to volume expansion. Abnormal atrial contraction per se, in addition, may stimulate ANP secretion.

Adolescent↗