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Biomedical subjects

S K Gill

Publications and source records attributed to S K Gill.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Newer positive inotropic agents in the treatment of chronic cardiac failure. Current status and future directions.

Heart failure is a serious worldwide health problem of major proportions. For many physicians, digitalis (an inotropic agent of limited proportions) and diuretics have proven the standard of treatment for heart failure. Vasodilators have also gained acceptance in recent years. Nevertheless, many patients remain symptomatic and therefore attention has been given to the development of pharmacological agents with mechanisms of action targeted to cardiac and vascular smooth muscle. The newer generation of inotropic agents have clearly been shown to improve the pumping function of the failing heart in patients who remain symptomatic despite digitalis, diuretics and vasodilators, while myocardial oxygen consumption is not enhanced. Several uncontrolled trials with the phosphodiesterase inhibitors enoximone, milrinone and piroximone have concluded that these agents improve exercise capacity and thereby hold promise to enhance quality of life. Large scale controlled trials currently in progress will determine the ultimate efficacy, as well as safety, of these agents. Results to date with several orally active beta-adrenoceptor agonists suggest that their efficacy may be limited by the induction of ventricular arrhythmias.

Animals↗

Stroke and alcohol consumption.

We conducted a retrospective case-control study to investigate a possible association between alcohol intake and stroke. Reported recent alcohol consumption and biochemical and hematologic markers of alcohol intake were examined for 230 patients with stroke (20 to 70 years old) and compared with concurrently collected data on controls matched for age, sex, and race. A single estimate of current intake was used as a measure of alcohol consumption. Among men, the relative risk of stroke (adjusted for hypertension, cigarette smoking, and medication) was lower in light drinkers (those consuming 10 to 90 g of alcohol weekly) than in nondrinkers (relative risk, 0.5), but was four times higher in heavy drinkers (consuming greater than or equal to 300 g weekly) than in nondrinkers. Because very few women in our study drank heavily, we were unable to determine whether heavy alcohol intake influenced the risk of stroke in women. With increasing serum concentrations of the biochemical markers of alcohol intake (aspartate aminotransferase, uric acid, and gamma-glutamyl transferase), we observed similar trends in the relative risk of stroke. Only the erythrocyte mean cell volume did not follow this pattern. We conclude that heavy alcohol consumption is an important and underrecognized independent risk factor for stroke in men, but our data are not adequate to settle the issue for women. Our conclusions are qualified by our reliance on reported recent alcohol consumption as the primary measure of intake.

Adult↗

Reduced platelet function in subarachnoid hemorrhage.

The hypothesis that abnormalities of platelet function may relate to the occurrence or recurrence of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) has been examined. Seventy patients with SAH and 65 control individuals were studied. The adenosine diphosphate (ADP) threshold for secondary platelet aggregation was significantly higher in the SAH group than in the controls. In tests using 4.0 micrograms/ml ADP, the percent platelet aggregation (at 2 minutes) and the maximum rate of platelet aggregation (over 20 seconds) were significantly lower in the SAH patients. There was no difference in total platelet count between the two groups. Platelet adhesiveness was lower in the SAH patients when compared to controls. Circulating microaggregates did not differ between the two groups. The results indicate that reduced platelet function does relate to SAH and may either contribute to aneurysmal rupture in cases of SAH or be a consequence of it.

Adult↗

Diurnal variation of and activity during the onset of stroke.

The diurnal variation in the onset of stroke was examined in 557 consecutive patients aged over 70 years. These included 194 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage, 118 with intracerebral hemorrhage, and 245 with thromboembolic cerebral infarction. All three types of strokes exhibited a peak incidence between 1000 and 1200 hours. Intracerebral hemorrhages occurred less frequently between 0400 and 0600 hours, but there were no differences between the groups for the other time periods. There was no difference in the time of onset of stroke between normotensive and treated or untreated hypertensive patients. There were more untreated hypertensive patients in the intracerebral hemorrhage group than in the other stroke type groups. Subarachnoid hemorrhage occurred more frequently in the lavatory and during sexual and sporting activity. Intracerebral hemorrhage occurred more commonly during driving or the consumption of alcohol. Cerebral infarction occurred more frequently during sleep or was noticed on waking. No differences were found for the other activities examined. The relationship between diurnal variation in stroke and the known variation in blood pressure is discussed.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Effects of low doses of alpha chlorohydrin on the lipid metabolism of the rat testis and epididymis--a correlative histochemical and biochemical study.

A biochemical and histochemical study was carried out on the effects of low doses of alpha chlorohydrin on the lipid metabolism of the rat testis and epididymis. Administration of alpha chlorohydrin in low doses (6.5 mg/kg for 9 days) to Wistar strain rats caused an elevation of lipid levels in the testis and epididymis. Actually, an increase in the neutral fat occurred with a corresponding decrease in the phospholipids after treatment with alpha chlorohydrin. We suggest that the rat's total lipid, total cholesterol, cholesterol esters, and triglycerides were increased at the cost of phospholipids. The altered levels of lipid fractions were due to the increased activity of glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase and to the decreased activities of nonspecific esterase and lipase after treatment with the drug. These alterations of lipid metabolism, which were regulated through their enzyme systems, strongly reflect the damage to the metabolism of the testis and epididymis after treatment with low doses of alpha chlorohydrin, although there was no histological damage at this dose level.

Animals↗

Histochemical changes of the rat testis and epididymis after treatment of alpha-chlorohydrin-effects of a single low dose.

A histochemical study has been made of the localization and changes of lipids, carbohydrates, ATPase and 5'-nucleotidase in fresh and fixed frozen sections of testicular and epididymal components in the normal and alpha-chlorohydrin-treated rats. After treatment with a single low dose of alpha-chlorohydrin, the phospholipids are decreased with corresponding increase in triglycerides in both the testis and epididymis. Glycogen, ATPase and 5'-nucleotidase are also decreased after treatment with alpha-chlorohydrin. The physiological significance of these histochemical changes has been discussed.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗