Acute and chronic responses to digoxin have been studied in dogs with cardiac failure secondary to constriction of the pulmonary artery. Cardiovascular and renal hemoclynamic function improved and, frequently, a striking increase in sodium (Na) excretion resulted. The data suggest a direct myocardial action of digoxin and provide evidence of impaired myocardial function similar to that observed...

Observation of chronic constrictive pericarditis associated with pulmonary asbestosis is reported here. Heart catheterization revealed typical patterns of cardiac constriction. The diagnosis of asbestosis was based on pathologic features associated with a long history of asbestos dust exposure without evidence for tuberculosis. The etiology of this constrictive pericarditis was related to an as...

In response to chronic hypertension, the heart compensates by hypertrophic growth, which frequently progresses to heart failure. Although intracellular calcium (Ca ) has a central role in hypertrophic signaling pathways, the Ca source for activating these pathways remains elusive. We hypothesized that pathological sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca leak through defective cardiac intracellular Ca release...

The blood pressure (BP) response to a competitive inhibitor of angiotensin II (saralasin), was evaluated serially along with renal hemodynamics and sodium clearance in dogs with constriction of the thoracic inferior vena cava which were undergoing chronic sodium and water balance studies. Plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma and urinary aldosterone, and plasma volume were measured periodically. ...

BACKGROUND Nitric oxide synthase uncoupling occurs under conditions of oxidative stress modifying the enzyme's function so it generates superoxide rather than nitric oxide. Nitric oxide synthase uncoupling occurs with chronic pressure overload, and both are ameliorated by exogenous tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4)-a cofactor required for normal nitric oxide synthase function-supporting a pathophysiolo...

Increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is implicated in the development of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Phagocyte-type NADPH oxidases are major cardiovascular sources of ROS, and recent data indicate a pivotal role of a gp91phox-containing NADPH oxidase in angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced LVH. We investigated the role of this oxidase in pressure-overload LVH. gp91phox-/- mi...

BACKGROUND Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction may lead to pulmonary hypertension, but the underlying mechanisms of persistent vasoconstriction are still unclear. There is evidence that pulmonary inflammation contributes to the abnormalities of function in the pulmonary artery (PA) following chronic hypoxia exposure. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is an important pro-inflammatory c...

AIM Nerve entrapment syndromes are the most common causes of neuropathic pain. Surgical decompression is the preferred method of treatment. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of curcumin, tramadol and chronic constriction release treatment (CCR), individually or together, in a rat model of sciatic nerve injury. MATERIAL AND METHODS Eighty male rats were divided into eight study...

The inflammatory response regulates congestive heart failure (CHF) development. T cell activation plays an important role in tissue inflammation. We postulate that CD28 or B7 deficiency inhibits T cell activation and attenuates CHF development by reducing systemic, cardiac, and pulmonary inflammation. We demonstrated that chronic pressure overload-induced end-stage CHF in mice is characterized ...

Intestinal transcapillary water and total protein flux were determined in dogs with chronic extrahepatic portal hypertension after construction of an aortic-portal shunt combined with hilar portal vein constriction and compared to acute portal vein constriction. Measurements were made of thoracic duct lymph flow, portal venous pressure, and total protein concentration in plasma, thoracic duct l...