No abstract

Key wordsBenidipine hydrochloride, autonomic nerve, essential hypertension, high-or lowsalt diet CAS 91559−74−5 Coniel  Hypertension, essential Arzneim.-Forsch./Drug Res. 53, No. 5, 314−320 (2003) SummaryThe effects of benidipine hydrochloride (CAS 91559-74-5, Coniel  ) on autonomic nervous activity in hypertensive patients with high-and low-salt diets were investigated. Six patients having a urinary sodium excretion of 80 mEq/day or less (low salt group) and 6 patients having a urinary sodium excretion of 200 mEq/ day or more (high salt group) were orally given benidipine hydrochloride (4 mg). Before and four weeks after the treatment with benidipine, 24-h circadian variation in blood pressure and 24-h Holter electrocardiogram (ECG) were recorded. The low frequency power spectrum of heart rate (LF power; 0.04−0.15 Hz), high frequency power spectrum of heart rate (HF power; 0.15−0.40 Hz), and the ratio of LF to HF (LF/HF) were calculated, and these parameters were averaged every hour in every subject. HF power was significantly lower and LF/HF ratio was significantly higher in the highsalt group than in the low-salt group before the treatment. However, the benidipine treatment significantly increased the HF power in both groups, particularly in the high-salt group, and significantly decreased the LF/HF ratio in both groups. Moreover, there was no significant difference in the antihypertensive effect of benidipine between the high-and low-salt intake groups. These results suggest that benidipine favourably influences blood pressure and autonomic nervous activity in hypertensive patients with a high-salt intake. It is concluded that benidipine may be useful for improving the development of salt-induced hypertension and its accompanying haemodynamic responses. Arzneim.-Forsch./Drug Res. 53, No. 5, 314−320 (2003) 314 Nomura et al. − Benidipine hydrochloride

SUMMARYBackground: Nitrates decrease the tone of the lower oesophageal sphincter, and may thus induce gastrooesophageal reflux. Aim: In the present study, we evaluated electrogastrographic changes and heart-rate variability before and after the administration of nitrates. Methods: In 15 patients with chest pain treated with nitrates, electrocardiography and percutaneous electrogastrography were performed before and after administration of nitrates. Autonomic nervous system function was evaluated by spectral analysis of heartrate variability and serial changes in low frequency and high frequency power, and the low frequency/high frequency ratio were compared. Electrogastrograms were analysed by obtaining peak power amplitudes and their dominant frequencies.

Background : Arterial stiffness has recently been proposed as a powerful independent predictor of cardiovascular disease. The aim of the present study was to establish the relationship between aortic stiffness and circulatory complications during gastrointestinal endoscopy using pulse wave velocity (PWV) as a parameter. Methods : We serially monitored standard 12-lead ECGs, blood pressure, and percutaneous arterial oxygen saturation during gastrointestinal endoscopy, and performed a spectral analysis of heart rate variability and an analysis of QT dispersion. We also performed a logistic multivariate analysis of the severity of atherosclerosis and changes in the circulatory kinetics using PWV. Results : In the elderly group (older than 65 years), the rate of decrease in parasympathetic nervous activity and rate of change in blood pressure and QT dispersion were significantly larger than those in the non-elderly group (younger than 65 years) ( P < 0.05). However, a multivariate analysis showed that the relative risk for the grade of atherosclerosis was greater in an evaluation by PWV than by age. Conclusions : We conclude that the grade of atherosclerosis, as evaluated from PWV, is a stronger predictive factor for changes in circulatory kinetics during gastrointestinal endoscopy than age. PWV screening may facilitate the prevention of cardiac accidents during gastrointestinal endoscopy to some degree.