A classification of drug substances according to their mechanism of action.

Different classification systems for therapeutic agents exist. The most commonly used one is the ATC Code (ATC: Anatomy, Therapeutic properties, Chemical, pharmacological properties). Here, an alternative classification system (TCAT: Target-Chemistry-Anatomy-Therapy) is proposed which refers to the molecular mechanism of action or rather, target. The main subgroups of targets are: enzymes; substrates, metabolies, proteins; receptors; ion channels; transporter molecules and systems; nucleic acids, ribosomes; physicochemical mechanisms; antigen-antibody reactions; unknown targets. This target-oriented approach may be particularly useful in teaching advanced medicinal chemistry.

Health effects of toluene exposure.

The impact of industrial toluene exposure was assessed in 262 male employees of two Danish photographic printing plants. The study involved assessment of acute and chronic exposure based on a scoring system, standardised questions, measurement of blood pressure, pulmonary functions, and the plasma concentrations of urate, creatinine, creatine kinase, alanine-aminotransferase, FSH, LH, testosterone, sexual hormone binding globulin, thyroxine, triiodothyronine, and cortisole (following synacthen). The potentially confounding factors: age, weight, height, alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking were included in statistical analysis which showed that systolic blood pressure (p less than 0.01), P-P-FSH (p less than 0.001), dizziness (p less than 0.0001), decreased ability to concentrate (p less than 0.001), and dizziness during the past year (p less than 0.01) were correlated with the exposure score. Following six weeks without exposure, systolic blood pressure and P-ALAT decreased, the latter being correlated with the exposure score.

Coronary and skeletal muscle enzyme changes during a 14 km run.

Increasing coronary enzyme values have previously been demonstrated after physical exercise. In the present study serum values of aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), LDH isoenzymes, creatinine kinase (CK), and the myocardial-bound fraction of this enzyme (CK-MB) were measured in a random sample of healthy non-smoking, physically fit men before and immediately after a competitional 14 km run. All enzyme values increased during the run, ASAT by 7%, LDH by 25%, CK by 38%, and CK-MB by 53%. Measurement of LDH isoenzymes showed special increments of the non-cardiac fractions. However, absolute increments of the cardiac fractions of the LDH isoenzymes together with other serum enzyme elevations do not exclude a cardiac source of enzyme release during and following physical exercise.

White lead exposure among Danish police officers employed in fingerprint detection.

White lead exposure among Danish police officers employed in fingerprint detection. Scand j work environ health 9 (1983) 511-513. White lead is often used by police officers employed in fingerprint detection (dactylography). On the basis of a case of mild lead intoxication in a police officer all 22 exposed police officers at the Bureau of Dactylographic Identification in Copenhagen were examined. All went through a clinical examination and blood lead determination. None of the participants showed any sign of lead intoxication. The median blood lead concentration was 0.97 mumol/l (10th-90th percentiles 0.72-1.44 mumol/l), a value definitely higher than the average of the general population matched for age and sex. A correlation between the weekly white lead exposure and blood lead concentration (r = 0.87, p less than 0.0001) was found among the participants.

The significance of systolic hypertension in the 1897-population in Glostrup.

The predictive value of a high diastolic or systolic blood pressure for presence or development of cardiovascular disease diminishes with age. In the present 10-year prospective study of 70-year-olds a Cox regression analysis for competing risk markers for cardiovascular events in the eighth decade was carried out. This analysis showed that neither high diastolic nor high systolic blood pressure had individual predictive value for death from cardiovascular diseases. Concerning development of cardiovascular diseases, however, high systolic blood pressure had individual predictive value in both sexes.

Prevalence of raised Yersinia enterocolitica antibody titre in unselected, adult populations in Denmark during 12 years.

Yersinia enterocolitica biotype 4, serotype 0:3 is by far the most common human pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica subtype in Scandinavia. It is extraordinarily immunologically specific, and an elevated antibody titre greater than or equal 80-160 is known to indicate acute infection. This titre was measured in five population surveys conducted in 1967-78, including 3278 examined adult men and women. The prevalence of titre elevation greater than or equal to was 1.0% in 1967. In 1978 it was significantly higher, 7.7%, and also the individual course of the titre in a ten-year longitudinal survey showed a significant increase in this prevalence, indicating an increasing incidence of infection. Significant sex and age differences were seen, women and younger subjects being more frequently affected than men and older subjects. The prevalence of elevated titre showed a seasonal variation with a maximum in the spring and autumn.

Blood pressure reduction by change in life style. The CVD intervention study in Glostrup.

In a controlled, primary intervention, cardiovascular survey on 928 men and women aged exactly 30, 40, 50 & 60 years, a significant reduction (about 5 mmHg) was found in systolic blood pressure mean difference before and after intervention between the intervention- and control group. The observation time was 7 months. Most of the twentynine drop outs were excluded for personal reasons or because of antihypertensive treatment. A reasonable explanation for the blood pressure reduction is a change in life style, in the intervention group. The subjects in the intervention group increased physical activity and decreased fat and salt intake in contrast to the control group (p less than 0.001, 0.005).

Cholesterol, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL) and cholesterol/HDL-ratio versus arterial blood pressure.

In a cardiovascular survey of 928 men and women aged exactly 30, 40, 50 & 60 years, a correlation between serum cholesterol, cholesterol/HDL-ratio and arterial blood pressure was found. This correlation was indirectly caused by mutual correlations to relative weight and age as a final result found after multiple rank correlation analysis in each sex. HDL was not correlated to arterial blood pressure at all.

Arterial hypertension in 70 - 80 year old men and women.

In a longitudinal study of an unselected population of men and women standardized arterial blood pressure was measured at 70 and again at 80. At 70 the prevalence of arterial hypertension (greater than or equal to 160/95 mmHg) was 46% in men and 45% in women. At 80 it was only 19% and 30%. This decrease was partly owed to an increased ten year mortality in hypertensive 70 year old women. However, also a significant individual decrease was seen in the participants examined twice, - a decrease that did not seem connected to the increased use of antihypertensive medicine and was not connected to the presence of arteriosclerotic symptoms, but showed a connection to pathological ECG-changes at 80.