Journal of hypertension
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Journal of hypertension · Mar 2015
Arginase-endothelial nitric oxide synthase imbalance contributes to endothelial dysfunction during chronic intermittent hypoxia.
Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH), the main feature of obstructive sleep apnoea, is associated with impaired vascular function despite unaltered response to nitric oxide donors. This study addressed whether arginase contributes to the endothelial dysfunction in CIH rats. ⋯ The current results suggest that endothelial dysfunction in CIH-induced hypertension may result from imbalanced arginase-1 to eNOS expression, vascular remodelling and increased contractile capacity, rather than decreased vascular response to nitric oxide.
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Journal of hypertension · Feb 2015
Review Meta AnalysisEffects of blood pressure lowering on outcome incidence in hypertension: 4. Effects of various classes of antihypertensive drugs--overview and meta-analyses.
In 68 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), blood pressure (BP) lowering was obtained by using drugs of different classes. We have investigated whether BP lowering by any of the major drug classes is effective in reducing the cardiovascular outcomes. ⋯ BP lowering by all classes of antihypertensive drugs is accompanied by significant reductions of stroke and major cardiovascular events. This supports the concept that reduction of these events is because of BP lowering per se rather than specific drug properties. However, evidence of risk reduction of other events and particularly mortality was obtained so far with some drug classes only. As a result of marked differences in the trial design, total cardiovascular risk, SBP/DBP differences and statistical power, comparisons of meta-analyses of different drug-specific placebo-controlled RCTs appear unwarranted.
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Journal of hypertension · Feb 2015
Prognostic power of lower pulse pressure on long-term all-cause mortality in octogenarians with acute coronary syndrome: a propensity-score-matched cohort study.
The impact of lower pulse pressure (PP) on long-term all-cause mortality in the octogenarian patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains unknown. This study sought to reveal the prognostic power of lower PP in long-term all-cause mortality in the octogenarian ACS patients. ⋯ This study reveals a U-shaped association of mortality rate with PP in the octogenarians with ACS and demonstrates that PP equal to or less than 50 mmHg has an independent prognostic power in long-term all-cause mortality in the octogenarians with ACS as well as the subgroup with hypertension.
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Journal of hypertension · Dec 2014
Review Meta AnalysisEffects of blood pressure lowering on outcome incidence in hypertension: 2. Effects at different baseline and achieved blood pressure levels--overview and meta-analyses of randomized trials.
Relevant clinical questions not approached by randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of blood pressure (BP)-lowering treatment can be explored by meta-analyses stratified by clinical criteria. ⋯ Meta-analyses favor BP-lowering treatment even in grade 1 hypertension at low-to-moderate risk, and lowering SBP/DBP to less than 140/90 mmHg. Achieving less than 130/80 mmHg appears safe, but only adds further reduction in stroke.
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Journal of hypertension · Dec 2014
Meta AnalysisEffects of continuous positive airway pressure on blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea: a meta-analysis.
To systematically analyze the studies that have examined the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on blood pressure (BP) in patients with resistant hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). ⋯ The pooled estimate shows a favorable reduction of BP with CPAP treatment in patients with resistant hypertension and OSA. The effects sizes are larger than those previously reported in patients with OSA without resistant hypertension.