[Efficacy and safety of treating hyperlipidemia type II with fluvastatin in patients with arterial hypertension]. / Skutecznosc i bezpieczenstwo leczenia hiperlipidemii typu II za pomoca fluwastatyny u chorych z nadcisnieniem tetniczym.

62 patients with hyperlipidemia II and hypertension were 8 weeks on low fat and low cholesterol diet (acc. to EAS recommendations). If LDL-Ch > or = 4.1 mmol/l the diet was continued and 12 weeks treatment by fluvastatin (Lescol, Sandoz Pharma Ltd) started with control every 4 weeks Preliminary dosage 20 mg once daily in the evening increased to 40 mg if LDL-Ch > 3.5 mmol/l. After 12 weeks the mean level of T.Chol decreased by 21%, LDL-Ch by 29%, LDL-Ch/HDL-Ch by 31% and T.Chol/HDL-Ch by 24%. HDL-Ch increased by 8% and TG decreased by 5% but not significantly. The first goal of treatment (LDL-Ch < 4.14 mmol/l) achieved 73% and second (LDL-Ch < or = 3.5 mmol/l)-43.3% patients. In 2 patients treatment was discontinued (in one due to severe alimentary symptoms and in second-due to infection of respiratory tract with increase of SGOT and SGPT) and in next 2 the dosage was decreased to 20 mg/day (due to transitory alimentary symptoms).

The need for improved methods of diet assessment for developing and monitoring food policy in Eastern Europe.

There is increasing evidence that diseases of major public health importance are causally related to nutritional imbalance. Development of nutrition policy to improve the nutritional status of a population requires reliable information about food consumption and its impact on the health of the population. Available methods are useful but not accurate enough. Assessment of the nutritional status of representative samples of the general population requires improved methods of dietary intake assessment. A combination of different methods provides more reliable information than the use of a single method. For example, comparison of food balance sheets and households budget surveys provides more useful information than either method alone. An international effort should be undertaken to identify reliable methods of dietary assessment suitable for all countries. Because the development of new methods would be time consuming, efforts should be focused on the selection of existing methods, their improvement, standardization, and implementation. International organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization should give high priority to the improvement of methods useful in nutritional epidemiological studies.

[Effect of combined treatment with lovastatin and colestipol on serum lipids and lipoproteins]. / Wplyw skojarzonego leczenia lovastatinem i kolestipolem na lipidy i lipoproteiny surowicy.

In 20 men with hypercholesterolaemia or mixed hyperlipaemia the effect was evaluated of treatment with Lovastatin and Colestipol on lipoproteins. Administration of the drugs in combination or alone decreased significantly the concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), LDL cholesterol (LDL-chol), and apolipoprotein B (apo B). The combination of Lovastatin in dose of 40 mg with Colestipol in dose of 10 g decreased more favourably the concentrations of TC (34.7%), LDL-chol (44.3%), and apo B (22.4%) than administration of each of the drugs alone in higher doses i.e. Lovastatin 80 mg (TC--26.8%, LDL-chol--31.8%, apo B--16.9%) or Colestipol 20 g (TC -20.0%, LDL-chol-26.3%, apo B-10.8%). The treatment with Lovastatin and Colestipol failed to change significantly the concentrations of triglycerides, HDL cholesterol and AI and AII apolipoproteins. The combined therapy was better tolerated than monotherapy.

[Effect of CRP preparation on serum lipids in patients with hyperlipidemia]. / Wplyw preparatu CRP na lipidy surowicy u pacjentów z hiperlipidemia.

In a group of 18 patients with essential hyperlipidaemia the influence was studied of multivitamin CRP preparation given for 12 weeks, on lipid peroxides, cholesterol and triglycerides in the serum. The level of lipid peroxides was decreased significantly. This effect was associated with the increase of the serum level of vitamin E. A decrease was also found of the levels of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol.

Comparative studies on the influence of different fibrates on serum lipoproteins in endogenous hyperlipoproteinaemia.

Two trials have been performed in the same patients with hyperlipoproteinaemia Types IIb (12 cases), III (6 cases) and IV (11 cases). In the first study the lipid-lowering properties of bezafibrate, fenofibrate, gemfibrozil, etofibrate and etofylline clofibrate were compared and in a separate trial the influence of combined treatment with gemfibrozil plus colestipol and bezafibrate plus probucol on lipoproteins were investigated. The mean percentage lipid-lowering effect of each fibrate on serum and VLDL fraction was significant in the Types IIb, III and IV patients, but there were significant differences between the fibrates. In general, gemfibrozil and bezafibrate decreased plasma lipid levels more than etofibrate and etofylline clofibrate in Type IIb patients. In Type IV cases gemfibrozil and bezafibrate were significantly potent in reducing the triglyceride level than fenofibrate, etofibrate or etofylline clofibrate. All the fibrates produced an increase in HDL cholesterol, but there were significant differences between them were in the Type IV patients. The influence of fibrates on the LDL fraction was much more variable. In hyperlipoproteinaemia Type IIb, a decrease in both LDL cholesterol and LDL apolipoprotein B was observed. In Type III and IV patients, however, an increase in LDL concentration occurred. The addition of colestipol to gemfibrozil therapy led to a further decrease in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and LDL apolipoprotein B in Type IIb patients. In patients with hyperlipoproteinaemia Types III and IV colestipol prevented the increase in LDL concentration after treatment with gemfibrozil alone. The effect of probucol on LDL cholesterol was comparable to that of colestipol. Combined treatment with gemfibrozil and colestipol caused an increase in HDL cholesterol concentration in contrast to combined treatment with bezafibrate and probucol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Plasma glucosamine and galactosamine in ischemic heart disease.

Because of the importance of glycosaminoglycans and glycoproteins in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, the hexosamine concentrations of plasma were determined in 28 male survivors of acute myocardial infarction and in 50 healthy males aged 30-60 years. Glucosamine and galactosamine were determined by ion-exchange chromatography of hydrolyzed whole plasma and hydrolyzed deproteinized plasma. Considerably higher plasma levels of non-protein-bound hexosamine (500 nmol/ml) and lower levels of protein-bound hexosamines (3770 nmol/ml) were observed in the ischemic heart disease group, compared with the plasma levels of non-protein-bound hexosamine (320 nmol/ml) and protein-bound hexosamine (4260 nmol/ml) of the control group. This difference is due to changes in glucosamine concentration. The galactosamine concentration is similar in the two groups. The ratio of non-protein-bound to protein-bound hexosamines in patients is about twice as high as the ratio found in controls. The glucosamine/galactosamine ratio of protein-free plasma is significantly higher in patients (12.1) than in controls (8.3). These changes in plasma hexosamines correlate with increased plasma homocysteine, cholesterol, and triglycerides observed in the patient group. The findings show that characteristic quantitative and qualitative changes in plasma hexosamine levels accompany atherosclerosis. Determination of these substances may be helpful in diagnosis and management of patients with atherosclerosis.

[Obesity as a risk factor for ischemic heart disease]. / Otylosc jako czynnik zagrozenia choroba niedokrwienna serca.

The occurrence of risk factors for ischaemic heart disease in obesity is discussed. The presented view is based on the review of literature and own preliminary experiences. The importance of the distribution of the fatty tissue was shown for the medical practice. Android-type obesity increases the probability of the occurrence of metabolic disturbances leading to ischaemic heart disease.