ABSTRACT
Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has been an indispensable and widely used diagnostic tool in several medical fields, including gastroenterology, cardiology, and urology, due to its diverse therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Many studies show that it is effective and safe in patients with liver conditions where conventional endoscopy or cross-sectional imaging are inefficient or when surgical interventions pose high risks. In this article, we present a review of the current literature for the different diagnostic and therapeutic applications of EUS in liver diseases and their complications and discuss the potential future application of artificial intelligence analysis of EUS.
ABSTRACT
Purpose@#Atherosclerotic stenosis of the extracranial carotid artery accounts for approximately 20% of all strokes. Both carotid artery endarterectomy and carotid artery angioplasty with stenting (CAAS) are recommended for symptomatic patients with 50% or more stenosis or asymptomatic patients with 70% or more stenosis. CAAS is under-reported in Saudi Arabia, as evidenced by a thorough literature search. In this article, we aim to share our experience of CAAS to call for the necessity of conducting more research on stroke and emphasize the local need of utilizing more endovascular treatments like CAAS. @*Materials and Methods@#A retrospective single-center observational study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The inclusion criteria consisted of all adult patients (18 years and above) with carotid stenosis who were treated with CAAS. @*Results@#A total of 16 patients were included in the study. The mean age of the participants was 66.9±13.5 years (range 30–87 years). All patients were symptomatic (had a previous stroke or transient ischemic attack). The procedure was successful in 14 patients (87.5%), while it failed in 2 patients (12.5%) due to technical reasons. All patients had no stroke or myocardial infarction within 30 days of the procedure. @*Conclusion@#Despite the advancement in medicine with free healthcare services in Saudi Arabia, the interventional procedures for secondary prevention of strokes are underutilized. Collaboration between different hospitals will be extremely helpful since few centers in each city are providing such treatments by an expert neurointerventionist and/or strokologist. The good selection of candidates, optimal management of comorbid conditions, and multidisciplinary care may improve outcomes and reduce mortality.
ABSTRACT
Background: Metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus [DM] were progressively widespread all over the world and the alteration of oxidative stress and antioxidants associated with DM was established
Aim of the Work: The natural products were used in many ancient cultures to overcome the DM, so pomegranate peel and olive leaves will be investigated in this work
Materials and Methods: Adult male albino rats [Sprague Dawley], weighing 220-250 g, were used in this study. Animals were classified into five groups, five rats in each group. Control group: rats were served as normal healthy control and were received no treatment but only normal chow diet and water ad libitum for 4 weeks. Diabetic group: rats were intraperitoneal injected with STZ at dose of 40 mg / kg b. wt. for a single dose. Diabetic and olive leaves extract group: diabetic rats were orally administered with watery extract of olive leaves at dose of 250 mg / kg b. wt. for 4 weeks. Diabetic and pomegranate peel extract group: diabetic rats were orally administered with pomegranate peel at 250 mg / kg b. wt. for 4 weeks. Diabetic and mix of olive leaves and pomegranate peel group: diabetic rats were orally administered with pomegranate peel and olive leaves at 250 mg / kg b. wt. for 4 weeks
Results: The oxidative stress markers such as lipid peroxidation and hydrogen peroxide were increased but there was a decrease in the antioxidants makers such as glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, reduced glutathione and total antioxidants capacity in the liver of diabetic rats. The expression of insulin receptor and glucose transporter 2 genes was inhibited in liver of diabetic rats. Watery extracts of olive leaves and pomegranate improved the biochemical and molecular changes associated with DM
Conclusion: The results showed a hypoglycaemic, hypocholesterolemic and hypolipidemic action of olive leaves and pomegranate peel
ABSTRACT
Antiplatelet therapy is a cornerstone in cardiovascular medicine. Aspirin and clopidogrel have emerged as critical therapies in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Despite their efficacy, patients on these medications continue to suffer complications. Millions of patients are currently on low-dose antiplatelet therapy but it is unknown how many of these patients are under-treated or on the wrong medication. Clopidogrel hypo responsiveness of [resistance] is an emerging clinical entity with potentially severe consequences such as recurrent myocardial infarction, stroke, or death. The mechanism of resistance remains ill-defined, but there are specific clinical, cellular, and genetic factors that influence therapeutic failure. These factors range from physicians who fail o prescribe these medications despite appropriate indications to polymorphisms of platelet membrane glycoproteins. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of antiplatelet resistance also remains an issue as new bedside tests are developed. By understanding the mechanism of therapeutic failure and by improving the diagnosis of this clinical entity, a new era of individualized antiplatelet therapy may arise with routine measurements of platelet activity in the same way that cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar are followed, thus improving the care for millions of people. This review article focuses on the mechanism of clopidogrel actions, available tools and mechanisms to assess and explain its responsiveness in addition to future management options