GliSODin, a vegetal sod with gliadin, as preventative agent vs. atherosclerosis, as confirmed with carotid ultrasound-B imaging.

Prevention of cardiovascular disease should target high-risk subjects based on genetic/familial factors, blood chemistry, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and a history of/or current cigarette smoking. We selected active adults (n=76) aged 30-60 and investigated these risk factors, in order to recommend preventive measures. Another interesting variable is the preclinical status or atheroma of the arterial (carotid) wall or lumen. We also investigated the presence of oxidative stress in, and the anti-oxidant status of these subjects. We studied the anti-oxidative efficacy of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and variations of malondialdehyde (MDA). Supplementation with GliSODin, a vegetal SOD associated with gliadin, was effective in controlling the thickness of the carotid artery intima and media layers as measured by ultrasonography-B. We could demonstrate the preventive efficacy of GliSODin at a preclinical stage in subjects with risk factors of cardiovascular disease.

Combined effects of heart rate and pulse pressure on cardiovascular mortality according to age.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to assess the combined effects of pulse pressure (PP) and heart rate (HR) on cardiovascular mortality in a large French population. DESIGN: The study population was composed of 125,513 men and 96,301 women aged 16-95 years who had a health check-up at the IPC Center between January 1978 and December 1988. Subjects taking antihypertensive treatment were excluded. Mortality was assessed for an 8-year period. HR and PP were classified into three groups. HR groups were: < 60, 60-79 and > or = 80 beats per minute (bpm). PP groups were: < 50, 50-64 and > or = 65 mmHg. RESULTS: In men, PP and HR were both positively associated with cardiovascular mortality risk. In women, mean arterial pressure (MAP) but not PP or HR was associated with cardiovascular mortality. In men, a combined elevation of PP and HR was associated with an important increase of cardiovascular mortality risk. The group with the highest PP and the highest HR had a 4.8-fold increase in cardiovascular mortality risk as compared to the reference group (PP < 50 mmHg and HR < 60 bpm). This effect was more pronounced in younger men (5.4-fold increase) than in older men (3.7-fold increase), as compared to the reference groups of the same age. In women, the combined effects of PP and HR on cardiovascular mortality were not significant. CONCLUSION: A combined elevation of the two components of pulsatile arterial stress is associated with an important increase in cardiovascular mortality in men, especially in younger men. In women, steady-state stress (evaluated primarily by MAP), but not pulsatile stress, is an important determinant of cardiovascular mortality.

Frequency-domain heart rate variability in 24-hour Holter recordings: role of spectral method to assess circadian patterns and pharmacological autonomic modulation.

Different spectral methodologies for heart rate variability were recently shown to provide the same qualitative results in the context of passive tilt test. However, the impact of the method and the use of normalized power units in long-term ECG monitoring is still debated. Autoregressive and Fast Fourier transform (FFT) spectral approaches were applied to assess circadian modulation and the effect of beta-blocker administration in mild hypertensive patients who underwent continuous ambulatory ECG recording (n = 44, 51 +/- 12 years, 30 men). Spectral analysis was applied to 5-minute sequences and spectral parameters representative of each circadian period (24 hour, day, night) were calculated. In baseline recordings, FFT spectral method provided a smaller estimate of total and very low frequency powers. On the contrary, low- and high-frequency components were systematically larger with FFT. Circadian variations were in favor of an increased overall nocturnal variability but of a reduced low frequency normalized power with both spectral methods. Chronic oral administration of beta-blocker induced an increase of all spectral components except for an unchanged low-frequency normalized power, independently from the spectral approach. In spite of quantitative differences, the qualitative assessment of circadian patterns and beta-blockade effect by autoregressive- and FFT-based spectral analyses is equivalent. The low-frequency component of heart rate variability cannot be considered a reliable direct marker of sympathetic activity in long-term ambulatory ECG recording.

Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interaction between toloxatone, a new reversible monoamine oxidase-A inhibitor, and oral tyramine in healthy subjects.

We examined the influence of toloxatone, a new reversible monoamine oxidase-A inhibitor used in the treatment of depression, on tyramine-induced pressor effect in healthy volunteers. The maximum increase in systolic blood pressure produced by four single oral doses of tyramine administered during a meal and ranging from 100 mg to 800 mg was compared during repeated (3 to 5 days) administration of placebo, 200 mg toloxatone three times a day and 400 mg toloxatone three times a day in a single-blind, three-period crossover study. Toloxatone by itself had no significant influence on blood pressure. During administration of toloxatone, no significant increase in tyramine-induced increase in systolic blood pressure was observed for tyramine doses of 200 mg or less that are consistently higher than those associated with normal food intake. However, toloxatone increased the tyramine-induced increase in blood pressure after 400 mg tyramine (400 mg toloxatone three times a day) and 800 mg tyramine (200 mg toloxatone three times a day and 400 mg toloxatone three times a day). This pharmacodynamic interaction could be explained by an increase in tyramine systemic bioavailability in the presence of toloxatone. It is concluded that interaction between tyramine in meals and toloxatone is unlikely to occur in patients after long-term administration of the drug at therapeutic dosages.