Systemic autoimmune diseases, such systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), show an increased morbidity and cardiovascular mortality a higher incidence of early accelerated atherosclerosis than the general population that cannot be explained only by presence classic risk factors arterial hypertension, mellitus diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, obesity or smoking, but it seems to depend on associated w...

BACKGROUND Risk factors may influence the improvement or worsening of erectile dysfunction (ED). The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of systemic hypertension on ED in patients with peripheral arterial disease. METHODS The effect of hypertension on ED was assessed in 125 consecutive patients in a cross-sectional quantitative study. The ages of the patients ranged from 19 to...

The prognosis for patients with pulmonary hypertension remains poor despite recent treatment advances, and there is a need for therapies with new modes of action. Nitric oxide (NO) is an endogenous vasodilator, the levels of which are regulated throughout the lung to ensure preferential perfusion of well-ventilated regions. Drugs that act in synergy with endogenous NO would therefore promote pu...

OBJECTIVE To analyze the frequency of self-reported systemic arterial hypertension and associated factors. METHODS Study based on data provided by the system of Vigilância de Fatores de Risco e Proteção para Doenças Crônicas por Inquérito Telefônico (VIGITEL--Telephone-based surveillance of risk and protective factors for chronic diseases), collected in 2006 in Brazil's capitals and Federal D...

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disorder that affects nearly 2 million people in the United States. The majority of SLE cases occur in women at an age in which the prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular disease is typically low. However, women with SLE have a high prevalence of hypertension for reasons that remain unclear. Because immune cells and ...

Dramatic hemodynamic alterations occur during a normal, healthy pregnancy with the kidneys playing a major role to ensure that these adaptive changes occur properly. Therefore, it is not surprising that a significant number of women may develop new onset renal dysfunction or exacerbation of preexisting renal disease during pregnancy. Perhaps the most commonly encountered gestational disorder is...

Objectives: Chronic renal failure (CRF) is associated with altered systemic arterial tone and hypertension. Myogenic constriction and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF)-dependent relaxation represent major vasoregulatory mechanisms in small systemic arteries. Elevated myogenic response and impaired EDHF might participate in the development of essential hypertension, however their...

OBJECTIVE To determine the ocular and systemic factors associated with neovascular glaucoma (NVG) in an African population. DESIGN Hospital based cross sectional study. SETTING Eye clinic, Department of Ophthalmology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. SUBJECTS Sixty one consecutive patients with clinical diagnosis of NVG seen between January 1995 and December 1999 had a comple...

Reports of pulmonary hypertension in obese women treated with the appetite suppressant aminorex (Menocil) prompted this study using the calf as a model because of its very reactive pulmonary vascular bed. Acute and chronic haemodynamic effects were observed following daily intravenous injections of aminorex (0-25 mg/kg as free base) in four calves. Four other calves were similarly treated with ...

Because of the anatomical position and its unique vascular system, the liver is susceptible to the exposure to the microbial products from the gut. Although large amount of microbes colonize in the gut, translocation of the microbes or microbial products into the liver and systemic circulation is prevented by gut epithelial barrier function and cleansing and detoxifying functions of the liver i...