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At least 937 records · Page 52Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

Non-pharmacological treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Evidence-based guidelines on treatment of patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) have recently been developed. Non-pharmacological therapy of COPD has been receiving more interest and has been evolving rapidly in the last decade as an essential part of COPD treatment. In fact, non-pharmacological treatment is a complementary approach mainly in the advanced stages of COPD. Most of these care options appear to benefit patients in terms of quality of life and cost-effectiveness. The aim of the present review is to survey the most important non-pharmacological treatments for COPD (smoking cessation, rehabilitation, long-term oxygen therapy, noninvasive positive pressure ventilation, and surgery) and their usefulness based on the currently available evidence. This review is based on an evaluation of the literature using a multimethod approach. A computerized MEDLINE search from 1966 through June 2003 was undertaken using the search terms pulmonary rehabilitation, surgery, smoking cessation, respiratory insufficiency/failure, and lung disease/obstructive. Non pharmacological treatment of COPD is a real option to successfully treat these patients and prevent further deterioration. All the included therapies are based on actual scientific evidence for patient benefits. To date, smoking cessation, comprehensive rehabilitation and long-term oxygen therapy are widely accepted as therapies which may positively impact the long-term management of COPD patients.

Humans↗
PubMed1992

Cocaine self-administration: pharmacology and behavior.

I would like to stress several major points. The first is that CNS pharmacology is important in drug self-administration. In the case of cocaine, the necessary effect seems to be blockade of reuptake of DA rather than blockade of reuptake of NE or 5-HT or local anesthetic effects. An action of that DA on the D2 subtype of DA receptors appears to play an important role. The second point is that increased DA in synapses in the CNS is not sufficient to explain drug-maintained behavior. The schedule of reinforcement critically determines rates and patterns of drug-maintained behavior. Barrett (this volume) has presented convincing evidence that behavioral history, i.e., the sequential exposure to alternative behavioral conditions, can dramatically alter drug effects. What I hope to have made clear is that the simultaneous opportunity to engage in other behaviors can dramatically alter the reinforcing effects of drugs. Indeed, under appropriate conditions, a drug can function as both a positive and a negative reinforcer simultaneously in the same animal. The drug-choice studies I have described emphasize the dynamic nature of the interaction between behavioral and pharmacologic variables. The frequency of choosing to self-administer cocaine varied with the magnitude of the dose of cocaine (a pharmacologic variable) and the magnitude of an alternative positive reinforcer that was available (a behavioral variable). Increasing the magnitude of the alternative reinforcer decreased cocaine choice, but increasing the magnitude of the cocaine dose reestablished drug preference. In a sense, this is not a surprising result. The rhetoric of the times, however, would have it that drug self-administration, particularly cocaine self-administration, is somehow a different class of behavior that is not subject to the usual laws governing the behavior of organisms. As our understanding of drug self-administration evolves, however, that position will become increasingly untenable. These experimental findings challenge simple neurobiological assumptions about the determinants of drug self-administration. Clearly, a reinforcing effect, like any other behavioral effect of a drug, is not simply an immutable effect of a pharmacologic property of the drug. Given the pivotal role of reinforcing effects in drug abuse, this realization is critical to a comprehensive understanding of drug abuse. Any complete neurobiological model of drug abuse will have to account for these effects. Apparently, increasing the concentration of DA in synapses in the brain is not sufficient to account for drug-maintained behavior.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed2003

New approaches to pharmacological treatment of osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis has been recognized as a major public health problem for less than two decades. The increasing incidence of fragility fractures, such as vertebral, hip, and wrist fractures, first became apparent from epidemiological studies in the early and mid-1980s, when effective treatment was virtually unavailable. Pharmacological therapies that effectively reduce the number of fractures by improving bone mass are now available widely in countries around the world. Most current agents inhibit bone loss by reducing bone resorption, but emerging therapies may increase bone mass by directly promoting bone formation--as is the case with parathyroid hormone. Current treatment alternatives include bisphosphonates, calcitonin, and selective estrogen receptor modulators, but sufficient calcium and vitamin D are a prerequisite. The availability of evidence-based data that show reductions in the incidence of fractures of 30-50% during treatment has been a major step forward in the pharmacological prevention of fractures. With all agents, fracture reduction is most pronounced for vertebral fracture in high-risk individuals; alendronate and risedronate also may protect against hip fracture in the elderly. New approaches to pharmacological treatment will include further development of existing drugs, especially with regard to tolerance and frequency of dosing. New avenues for targeting the condition will emerge as our knowledge of the regulatory mechanisms of bone remodelling increases, although issues of tissue specificity may be difficult to solve. In the long term, information gained through knowledge of bone genetics may be used to adapt pharmacological treatments more precisely to each individual.

Bone and Bones↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Dietetic and pharmacologic treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Study of 32 patients over 14 months].

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of dietetic-behavioural and pharmacological treatment on 32 patients with high level hypercholesterolemia (LDL-c greater than 160 mg/dl) over 14 months. Clinical and laboratory tests were performed at time 0 (enrollment), at time 1 (after 2 months dietetic-behavioural treatment only), at time 2 and time 3 (after 6 and 12 months respectively of combined dietetic-behavioural and pharmacological treatment). The dietetic-behavioural treatment consist of reduced intake of saturated fatty acids, cholesterol and rapidly absorbed glycid; increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids and fiber; reduced overall calorie intake. The patients were also advised to take light daily exercise. The pharmacological treatment (sinivastatin 20 mg/die) was given to patients whose total cholesterol levels were over 250 mg/dl after 60 days of dietetic-behavioural only treatment and then continued for the whole study. The result showed an average reduction of 20% (p less than 0.01) in LDL-c in all patients after dietetic-behavioural only treatment and a further 20% (p less than 0.01) reduction after 12 months of combined treatment. There was therefore confirmation of the validity of dietetic-behavioural and pharmacological treatment during our study.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

General pharmacology of pergolide in animals. 1st communication: cardiovascular, respiratory and autonomic nervous system studies.

Pergolide mesylate ((8 beta)-8-[(methylthio)methyl]-6-propylergoline monomethanesulfonate, LY 127,809, CAS 66104-23-2) is a novel and potent dopamine agonist marketed for treating the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The potential secondary pharmacological effects of this agent on the cardiovascular, respiratory, and the autonomic nervous systems were examined. Pergolide exhibited significant pharmacological effects in cardiovascular and autonomic tests at high oral or intravenous doses. The reference dopamine agonist, bromocriptine, exhibited effects qualitatively similar to, but at doses generally higher than, pergolide, in parallel with its lower therapeutic potency relative to pergolide. In summary, these studies confirm the pharmacological selectivity of pergolide at low doses, and indicate the potential for secondary pharmacological side effects upon cardiovascular function at significant multiples of the clinical dose.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed2004

Focus on vascular pharmacology.

At the joint meeting of the British Pharmacological Society and the Danish Society for Pharmacology and Toxicology, held July 6-8, 2004, in Bath, United Kingdom, the focus was vascular pharmacology. In the symposium on signaling pathways in vascular muscle, the topics included were the molecular structure of G-protein-coupled receptors, phosphoinositides and other lipid messengers, the regulation of vascular contractility by cyclic nucleotides, Ca(2+) channels in the kidney vasculature, conducted vascular responses and intracellular signaling in smooth muscle cell growth. Endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor was the subject of a symposium and many of the communications. There was discussion whether epoxyeicosatrienoic acids, K(+), C-type natriuretic peptide, hydrogen peroxide or gap junction were endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor. In the J.R. Vane Medal Lecture, Prof. P. Vanhoutte discussed endothelial dysfunction, and in the Anglo-Nordic Lecture, Prof. M. Mulvany discussed the pharmacology of hypertension. Finally, there was some discussion of whether antihypertensive drug response can be predicted on the basis of DNA microsequencing.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Primary visual cortex response recovery cycles caused by pharmacologic and electrical effects on the monoaminergic systems of the rat brain].

The recovery cycles (RC) of primary responses in the visual cortex were studied in alert rats following the electrical stimulation of raphe nuclei and locus coeruleus as well as following pharmacological and complex (electrical and pharmacological) actions on serotonin- and noradrenergic brain systems. It was found that both electrical and pharmacological actions on the above monoaminergic systems reduce the duration and depth of relative non-reactivity phase of RC. Complex (electrical and pharmacological) action leads to heterodirectional changes in RC. The character of these changes reflects the reciprocity existing in functional interrelations between serotonin- and noradrenergic brain systems. The probable connection of the found effects with memory mechanisms is discussed.

5-Hydroxytryptophan↗
PubMed2005

[Safety and effectiveness of pharmacologic versus mechanical stabilization of borderline coronary lesions in patients with acute coronary syndromes].

INTRODUCTION: Borderline coronary lesions are responsible for about 80% of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Statins have been found to improve long-term prognosis in patients with coronary artery disease due to plaque stabilization. There are no reports on the frequency of new events caused by progression of borderline lesions in patients with (ACS). Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) as a method of mechanical stabilization of borderline coronary lesions could be an alternative to pharmacological approach. AIM: To compare the efficacy of pharmacological and mechanical stabilization of borderline plaques (DS = 40-60%) in patients with ACS. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with ACS and angiographically documented borderline lesions, related to the ACS or located in other coronary arteries were enrolled. Patients were randomized to receive pharmacotherapy without intervention or to undergo PCI. The primary end-point was rate of target lesion revascularization with PCI or coronary bypass grafting (CABG) caused by progression of coronary stenosis or in-stent restenosis/thrombosis. The secondary endpoint was incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at long-term follow-up (death, ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome--STEACS and non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome-- NSTEACS). RESULTS: Pharmacological stabilization was used in 50 patients, mean age 56.7 +/- 9.14 years, whereas 44 patients, mean age 57.2 +/- 10.4 years, underwent plaque stabilization with PCI. At follow-up (mean 521 days) target lesion revascularization was performed in 3 patients, previously receiving pharmacotherapy, due to progression of coronary stenosis, and in 3 patients, after prior PCI, due to in-stent restenosis (7% vs. 8%, p = NS). The rate of MACE in both groups was also similar (6% vs. 5%, p = NS). CONCLUSION: There were no differences between mechanical and pharmacological stabilization of borderline coronary lesions in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

[Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: pharmacological options that are not "Ritalin"].

Methylphenidate (Ritalin) is the drug of choice for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Methylphenidate has been rigorously studied and found to be a safe and effective drug. However, there is a need for pharmacological alternatives since there are patients and therapists who are reluctant to use the drug. In some cases it is ineffective, others suffer from intolerable side effects and still others need treatment extended for the entire day. Recently, new pharmacological agents have been introduced for use in Israel. This article discusses the use of these new psychostimulants as well as other non-psychostimulant options. One of the new psychostimulants is Concerta, a very long acting methylphenidate preparation, that has been shown to be very effective. Adderall, a mixture of amphetamine salts, and Dexedrine (dexamphetamine) are also widely used. This article also presents data on an older psychostimulant, Cylert, Nitan (pemoline), prescribed until recently as a major alternative for Ritalin but, at present, it is rarely used because of its hepatotoxicity. Strattera (atomoxetine), a new non-stimulant drug, is a selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor that is a promising therapeutic option for children with ADHD. In summary, it is encouraging that there are multiple pharmacological options for treating children with ADHD. There is no one drug for all children and this is particularly important for children with do not respond to methylphenidate. Last, but not least, the mere fact that the new drugs are not called Ritalin, may play an important role in reducing the irrational opposition to the pharmacological treatment of ADHD.

Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors↗
PubMed2005

Pharmacological activity of morpholino compound.

The pharmacological effect of morpholino compound in different biological field is of great importance for researchers and investigators. They are working day and night to synthesize pharmacologically more effective morpholino derivatives with less toxic effects. This kind of pharmacological screening of synthesized compounds can lead to the discovery of biologically useful compounds. The findings of the present study are encouraging, since present compound showed a promising analgesic activities and anti-inflammatory. Chemically synthesized morpholino compound are tested for its analgesic and inflammatory activities in intact albino mice ad rat. Compound was administered orally in different doses using the tail immersion test in mice for analgesic activity. The results of this study demonstrated that compound has inhibitory effect on arachidonic acid metabolisms via cyclooxygenase pathway or we can say the inhibition of prostaglandins biosynthesis. Classical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, which inhibits cyclooxygenase, can shift arachidonic metabolism to lipoxygenase products. These findings reflect a new fact of pharmacological action of this compound like inhibition of arachidonic acid pathway in vivo. It can be concluded that the present study revealed a fair success rate but it is necessary to carry out further investigation to confirm the results.

Analgesics↗
PubMed2005

[The main pharmacology study of ZhongSheng capsule dosage form changing].

OBJECTIVE: To study pharmacological action variety of ZhongSheng Pill dosage form changing from pill to capsule. METHODS: Using anti-pathogenic microbe, antipyretic and antipyrotic effect as the pharmacological index,we compared the pharmacological action between Zhongsheng Pill formation and Capsule formation. RESULTS: Zhongsheng Capsule had various degrees extraneous antagonistic actions against familiar and conditioned pathogenic bacteria and virus of respiratory tract. Furthermore it coud also reduce the death ratio of mouse infected by staphylococcus aureus and influenza virus, remove fever and diminish inflammation. All these effects had the dose-effect relationship. There were no difference between pill fromation and cpasule formation. CONCLUSION: Zhongsheng Capsule retain the original pharmacological action of Zhongsheng Pill after dosage form changing.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

[Pharmacological treatment of mental retardation].

INTRODUCTION: Mental retardation (MR) is defined by the simultaneous appearance of a low intellectual level and an inability to adapt to the demands of the surroundings, beginning either in childhood or during adolescence. Although it is to expected that in the future it will become possible to treat intellectual disability itself by pharmacological means, at present we can only act on the behavioural and neurological syndromes that accompany MR. DEVELOPMENT AND CONCLUSIONS: This review looks at the different pharmacological agents that may improve the problems that usually make it more difficult for a patient with MR to adapt within the family, at school and in the workplace. The neuropsychiatric disorders that most often require pharmacological treatment include attention deficit, hyperactivity, behavioural disorders, autism, anxiety, aggressiveness, self-injury and affective disorders. The most frequently used drugs are stimulants, atypical antipsychotics and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). Their characteristics and application in the different situations that require medical attention are described. The pharmacological treatment of certain common genetic syndromes that involve MR and which are highly specific in their behavioural expression are also discussed.

Child↗
PubMed1991

Pharmacological characterization of rat alpha 2-adrenergic receptors.

We described previously the molecular characterization of a rat alpha 2B-adrenergic receptor and have shown also that the rat genome contains three closely related alpha 2-adrenergic receptor genes. To characterize the ligand-binding properties of these receptor gene products, we expressed the DNAs encoding these receptors individually in COS-1 cells and studied their binding to a wide variety of typical and atypical adrenergic ligands. The receptors displayed high affinity binding to the radioligand [3H] rauwolscine, with equilibrium dissociation constants ranging from 1.4 to 2.8 nM. Kinetic analysis of the binding of [3H]rauwolscine to membranes from transfected cells was in very good agreement with data obtained from saturation analysis. We examined the ability of a number of agents to compete for the binding of [3H]rauwolscine to the alpha 2-adrenergic receptor-transfected membranes. Whereas one of these receptors displayed a pharmacological profile typical of an alpha 2A-adrenergic receptor, the other two receptors showed similar pharmacological properties characteristic of an alpha 2B-adrenergic receptor. The two alpha 2B-like adrenergic receptors differed, however, in the ratios of Ki values for oxymetazoline and prazosin, as well as the Ki ratio of prazosin and yohimbine. In addition, the two alpha 2B-like adrenergic receptors had a 9-fold difference in affinity for chlorpromazine. The pharmacological characterization of the three rat alpha 2-adrenergic receptor gene products is consistent with the known pharmacology of alpha 2-adrenergic receptors, as documented using tissues and cell lines.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

[Principles and perspectives of clinical pharmacology].

Basic research led to the clarification of the mechanisms of action of numerous pharmacotherapeutic agents. Experimental and clinical pharmacology has a key position in the formulation and introduction of effective and safe medications. The investigation of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects must use reproducible quantitative methods, such as controlled clinical trials. However, the complexity of medical, ethical and legal problems inherent in controlled clinical trials may explain why few pharmacological studies have been performed in intensive care medicine conditions. A particular problem is undoubtedly the need for a multimodal treatment, as this might well lead to drug interactions in the critically ill. We generally have to distinguish between pharmacokinetic interactions, i.e. resorption, distribution, altered interaction between metabolism and elimination of a drug, and pharmacodynamic interactions due to synergistic or antagonistic affects at the same receptor or target organ. In recent decades clinical pharmacology has developed in a dualistic manner. Whereas the correlation between plasma level and therapeutic effects is considered to be of primary importance, the correlation between dosage and relevant pharmacodynamic effects is thought to be of only secondary relevance. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics should not be seen as rival approaches, but rather as complementary methods in clinical pharmacology.

Critical Care↗
PubMed1991

General pharmacology of a new potent 5-hydroxytryptamine antagonist.

The potential of the investigational 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT3) antagonist, LY277359, to alter cardiovascular, central nervous system (CNS), smooth muscle, and gastrointestinal functions at multiples of pharmacologically active doses, was examined to provide a profile of possible secondary pharmacological effects. In the anesthetized dog, significant cardiovascular effects were observed at doses 100-1000 and 4-15 times those found to be pharmacologically active at 5HT3 receptors in vivo in rats and dogs, respectively. These effects were limited to decreased heart rate (approximately 20%) at intravenous doses of 1.75 and 3.5 mg/kg and prolonged Q-Tc intervals (approximately 20 to 50%) at doses of 0.438 to 3.5 mg/kg. At an oral dose of 135 mg/kg (representing 1500-4500 times the pharmacologically active dose in rats), LY277359 induced hypoactive behavior and reduced body temperature in mice. Seizure activity was potentiated at high oral doses of LY277359 (45 and 135 mg/kg). A single oral dose of 135 mg/kg increased hexobarbital-induced sleep time. In smooth and cardiac muscle tissue studies in vitro, LY277359 was essentially inactive: it did not alter contractile activity or receptor function of the guinea pig ileum, rat vas deferens, rat uterus, or guinea pig atria at concentrations of 10(-5) to 10(-10) mol/l. At a concentration 50,000 times the 5HT3 antagonistic level in vitro (10(-4) mol/l), LY277359 inhibited the response of the ileum to field stimulation, acetylcholine and angiotensin I, and suppressed the rate of the spontaneously beating guinea pig atria in a noncompetitive manner.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Life quality in non-pharmacological therapy of hypertension.

Measurements of life quality have recently been included in drug trials on hypertension. In literature, not one single reference was found on life quality in non-pharmacological therapy of hypertension. More or less a tacit understanding is, however, that the life quality is unchanged, or at least not impaired, during non-pharmacological therapy. Experiences from a study of 400 patients with the aim to reduce or withdraw antihypertensive drugs, at the same time as non-pharmacological methods were introduced, show the difficulties to evaluate changes of life quality in a non-pharmacological study.

Antihypertensive Agents↗
PubMed1990

Resource savings from non-pharmacological control of hypertension.

Treatment of acute cardiovascular illness is expensive, and a preventative approach may be cheaper. Since pharmacological costs account for a large proportion of costs in prevention programmes, a non-pharmacological approach such as that used by us in Ashkelon on mild hypertensives, relying on stress management, weight management and exercise aimed at reducing risk factors, might prove to be more cost-effective. After six months on a 1,000 calorie/day diet, 69 obese subjects (initial body mass index greater than 28 kg/m2) had reduced their weight by an average of 7.3 kg (P less than 0.005). This weight reduction contributed to a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) from 157.3 to 137.6 mmHg (P less than 0.005) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) from 101.1 to 85.2 mmHg (P less than 0.005), which was sustained at two-year follow-up. Pharmacological treatment could be stopped in about one-quarter of these cases. In non-obese mild-hypertensives, deep muscle relaxation and biofeedback techniques were prescribed. Significant decreases in SBP (153.1 to 138.3 mmHg, P less than 0.005) and DBP (101.2 to 90.1 mmHg, P less than 0.005) were achieved at six months. In nine out of 19 cases pharmacological treatment was stopped after six to eight months. Smoking cessation was achieved by individual instruction together with stress management techniques, physical exercise and a nicotine-based chewing gum. After six months 18 out of 30 heavy smokers had stopped smoking, and the remaining 12 had reduced their cigarette consumption.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Receptor binding and pharmacological activity of opiates in the guinea-pig intestine.

A comparison was made between the affinities of a wide range of opiate agonists, mixed agonist-antagonists and antagonists for opiate receptor binding sites in the guniea-pig intestine longitudinal muscle and myenteric plexus preparation, and their pharmacological potency in influencing the electrically induced contraction of this in vitro functional system. The relative affinities of drugs and the degree of stereospecificity for intestinal binding sites are closely similar to these properties in the brain. Receptor binding correlates extremely well with pharmacological potency, both for agonists and antagonists, indicating that binding involves pharmacologically relevant opiate receptors. Pharmacological activity correlates best with receptor binding assayed in the presence of sodium.

Analgesics, Opioid↗