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Biomedical subjects

L Savi

Publications and source records attributed to L Savi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

International Headache Society classification: interobserver reliability in the diagnosis of primary headaches.

We assessed interobserver reliability of the International Headache Society (IHS) classification for diagnosis of primary headaches. The study was performed on 103 patients consecutively seen at two Headache Centres. Each patient was given a structured interview recorded on videotape. Four experienced clinicians then reviewed the interviews separately and made a diagnosis of headache according to IHS criteria at the one- and two-digit levels. At both the one- and the two-digit level the agreement was substantial (Kappa = 0.74 and 0.65, respectively). The analysis of reliability for each of nine items necessary for diagnosis showed an agreement ranging from substantial (Kappa = 0.69) to almost perfect (Kappa = 0.89). Our results indicate that the IHS classification has a good reliability for the diagnosis of primary headaches at the one- and two-digit levels.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Sublingual nicardipine versus nifedipine to treat hypertensive urgencies.

Hypertensive urgencies are clinical settings in which a steady therapeutic intervention is needed, but this may be safely stretched over some hours. An appropriate antihypertensive drug to use in an urgency should show a potent but gradual effect: it should reduce BP in a short time and it should be easy to modulate the antihypertensive effect, according to individual needs. Sublingual administration is the easiest way for a therapeutical intervention in an urgency. The use of nicardipine administered sublingually was tested in comparison with nifedipine, during a hypertensive urgency, in 24 hypertensive subjects. The peak effect of nifedipine occurred within 10-20 minutes after the administration, whereas that of nicardipine occurred after 45-50 minutes; nevertheless a significant decrease both in systolic and diastolic blood pressure was already observed 20 min after nicardipine administration. The hypotensive effect of nicardipine was longer lasting than that of nifedipine. Some adverse effects were observed in the group receiving nifedipine, whereas no side effects were described by patients receiving nicardipine.

Administration, Sublingual↗
PubMed1989

[Usefulness of sublingual captopril in hypertensive emergencies. Preliminary results].

The aim of this study, whose preliminary findings are reported, is to evaluate the efficacy of captopril, administered by a sublingual route, in the treatment of hypertensive emergencies. Captopril has been given by this route to 20 hypertensive patients while these had an ongoing hypertensive crisis (defined as a systolic arterial pressure above 200 mmHg associated with a diastolic arterial pressure above 115 mmHg). Arterial pressure has been measured after 5, 20, 10, 15, 30, 45, 60 and 120 min. For 8 patients it has been measured until the eighth hour. Results were the following: a satisfactory control of hypertensive crisis in 85% of patients, as stated by a slight but significant drop of arterial pressure after 10 min (15/10 mmHg; p less than 0.05) and by a maximum antihypertensive effect after 30 min (57/39 mmHg; p less than 0.001); an antihypertensive effect was evident until 6 hours after the administration of the drug; a positive correlation between the antihypertensive effect and pretreatment levels of arterial pressure and plasma renin activity; drug was free from relevant side effects; sublingual captopril can be considered an efficacious, easy to use and valuable tool in the treatment of hypertensive emergencies.

Administration, Sublingual↗
PubMed1988

Effect of sustained-release verapamil therapy on the blood pressure at rest and on the pressor response to isometric exertion in hypertensive patients.

The effect of a new formulation of verapamil sustained release (SR) 240 mg tablets on resting blood pressure (BP) and on the pressor response to isometric exertion have been examined in a single-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study in 12 hypertensive patients (mean age 45 years). SR verapamil and placebo were administered every 12 h for 6 consecutive weeks. At the end of each period of treatment BP and heart rate (HR) were measured at rest and during isometric exercise, performed as a handgrip (HG) test for 3 min at 30% of the maximum voluntary contraction. There was a significant reduction in resting systolic and diastolic BP, with no change in HR. BP and HR at peak exercise were lower after verapamil than after placebo, but the maximal absolute increase did not change during verapamil therapy. The results are compatible with a role of SR verapamil b.d. in reducing resting BP in hypertension, and in lowering very high pressure at the peak of a HG test, without modifying the physiological reactivity of cardiovascular system.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Casual versus 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure recording in the evaluation of chronic administration of sustained-release verapamil.

Although ambulatory blood pressure monitoring has been used widely for the evaluation of antihypertensive treatment, little information is available regarding the comparison between this method and casual BP measurement during drug trials. In our study, we tested the efficacy of a new formulation of verapamil, 240 mg sustained-release tablets, and compared the degree of BP reduction as detected by casual (standard mercury manometer) and by 24-hour ambulatory recording (Spacelab ICR 5300). A statistically significant fall in casual BP was observed after verapamil with respect to placebo. Moreover, 24-hour, waking and sleeping ambulatory BPs were significantly reduced by verapamil. The mean BP reduction was similar for office (20.1/16.1 +/- 4.3/3.1 mmHg) and for day-time ambulatory monitoring (13.4/10.7 +/- 4.2/1.9 1.9 mmHg), but no correlation was found between BP fall recorded by the two techniques for individual subjects. This study suggests that sustained-release verapamil is an effective antihypertensive drug. Individual mean BP reduction outside the clinic may not be predicted from office readings and therefore ambulatory BP recording seems to provide a better basis for testing the efficacy of drugs.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Plasma markers of endothelial cells and platelet activation following handgrip in normals and hypertensive patients.

Endothelial injury and platelet activation may be involved in the pathogenesis of hypertensive vascular disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in endothelial cell and platelet activation plasma markers after an acute physiological increase in blood pressure. Plasma renin activity (PRA), serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), plasma factor VIIIR:Ag, and plasma beta-thromboglobulin (BTG) were determined before and after handgrip in subjects with borderline (n = 8) and established (n = 11) hypertension and in age-matched normal volunteers (n = 10). A significant mean increase in ACE, factor VIIIR:Ag, and BTG was observed after handgrip in all groups of subjects. A greater response in BTG changes was found in hypertensive subjects when compared with normal subjects. No correlations were found between the blood pressure response after handgrip and the handgrip-induced changes in plasma markers of endothelial cells and platelet activation. Changes in endothelial cells and platelet activity occurring after handgrip did not appear to depend on the associated blood pressure elevations.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

[Effect of somatostatin on peripheral circulation. Preliminary study].

Somatostatin is a cyclic tetradecapeptide widely distributed in the human cells; it has many physiological effects. Synthetic somatostatin, actually employed in some clinical conditions, was administered intravenously to normal and arteriopathic subjects. Rheography and plethysmography of lower limbs were performed before, during and after administration. A marked improvement of blood flow and a reduction of heart rate was observed after somatostatin infusion. Some hypotheses about the mechanism of action of somatostatin are discussed, especially the action on the sympathetic nervous system or the calcium-antagonist effect on the blood vessels.

Adult↗