cardiovascular-agents and Weight-Gain

Metabolic syndrome is defined by a constellation of complex coexisting cardiometabolic risk factors such as hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, inflammation, abdominal obesity, coagulopathies, and hypertension that raise the risk of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in the use of herbs and natural compounds in prevention and treatment of diseases and a large number of published articles have focused on this issue. Rosmarinus officinalis L. or rosemary (Lamiaceae) is a rich source of phenolic phytochemicals having significant anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, hypotensive, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-thrombotic, hepatoprotective, and hypocholesterolemic effects. The purpose of this review is to highlight the interesting pharmacological effects of rosemary, and its active compounds, and the related mechanisms in the management of metabolic syndrome that are documented in in vitro and in vivo studies.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Anti-Obesity Agents; Antioxidants; Biomarkers; Blood Glucose; Cardiovascular Agents; Cardiovascular Diseases; Gluconeogenesis; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents; Hypolipidemic Agents; Inflammation Mediators; Lipids; Metabolic Syndrome; Oxidative Stress; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Plants, Medicinal; Risk Factors; Rosmarinus; Weight Gain

While usually not the only factor in obese patients, prescription medications, which may increase appetite or body weight, can be important in some individuals. The cause of weight gain in such cases may go unrecognized or lead to cessation of medication with or without the practitioner's knowledge or approval.. We found illustrative cases among patients treated at the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center, searched MEDLINE and the Micromedex Drug Information database, and organized this information by drug mechanism and indications for use.. Most reports of medication-induced weight gain are anecdotal or gleaned from clinical trials. Notable offenders include hormones (especially corticosteroids and insulinotropic agents), and psychoactive medications (especially tricyclic antidepressants, lithium, and some antipsychotics).. Medication-related increases in appetite and body weight are under-recognized and cause noncompliance with pharmacotherapy. A high index of awareness of the known mechanisms by which medications can lead to weight gain has the potential to prevent most medication-related contributions to weight gain and obesity.

Topics: Adult; Cardiovascular Agents; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Female; Glucocorticoids; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents; Male; Obesity; Patient Compliance; Psychotropic Drugs; Weight Gain

Although many studies have reported the effects of AT1 receptor on dietary salt overload, the role of AT2 receptor in this model is far from completely elucidated. The present study aimed to better understand the role of AT2 receptor in cardiac structure alterations in response to chronic high salt intake in rats.. Male Wistar rats were fed a normal or high salt diet from weaning until 18 weeks of age. Both groups were subdivided into two groups. Starting at 7 weeks of age, rats were treated with or without compound 21 (0.3 mg/kg/day, n = 16), an AT2 receptor agonist. Metabolics and structural parameters were measured. BP, transverse cardiomyocyte and intersticial fibrose was higher in animals fed with high salt diet compared with normal salt fed animals.. Compound 21 prevented the development of cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis, reduced the increase in blood pressure and prevented the lower weight gain in animals fed a high salt diet.

Topics: Animals; Blood Pressure; Cardiomegaly; Cardiovascular Agents; Disease Models, Animal; Fibrosis; Hypertension; Male; Myocytes, Cardiac; Rats, Wistar; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2; Signal Transduction; Sodium Chloride, Dietary; Sulfonamides; Thiophenes; Ventricular Remodeling; Weight Gain

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a Western diet (WD) and supplementation with Fuzhuan tea on large artery stiffness, as determined by aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV).. Mice were subjected to a standard diet (SD; n = 12) or WD (n = 10) for 7 mo, and were then separated to receive nonsupplemented drinking water (SD-W and WD-W) or water supplemented with Fuzhuan tea (SD-T and WD-T) (200 mg/kg daily); mice were then maintained on their respective diets for an additional 2 mo.. After the initial 7-mo feeding period, WD elicited a modest and significantly greater increase in body weight than did SD (39.6 ± 0.71 versus 34.5 ± 1.16 g; P < 0.01). PWV was significantly elevated in WD but not in SD (459.3 ± 4.8 versus 422.4 ± 6.4 cm/s; P < 0.001). Following an additional 2 mo, PWV continued to increase in WD-W, but returned to control levels in WD-T (WD-W: 519.8 ± 12.8; WD-T: 426.5 ± 18.6; SD-W: 429.7 ± 8.6; SD-T: 429.1 ± 6.1 cm/s; P < 0.001, WD-W versus all groups). The increase in PWV in WD-W was accompanied by an increase in aortic collagen (WD-W: 38.8 ± 4.6 versus SD-W: 17.5 ± 5.1 percent cross-sectional area; P < 0.05).. The results of the present study suggest that the increase in arterial stiffness after modest, diet-induced weight gain can be reversed by supplementation with Fuzhuan tea.

Topics: Animals; Aorta; Camellia sinensis; Cardiovascular Agents; Collagen; Diet, Western; Dietary Supplements; Elastin; Endothelium, Vascular; Fermentation; Male; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Overweight; Plant Extracts; Plant Leaves; Pulse Wave Analysis; Random Allocation; Vascular Stiffness; Weight Gain

Ambulatory measurement of intrathoracic impedance (ITI) with an implanted device may detect increases in pulmonary fluid retention early, but the clinical utility of this method is not well established. The goal of this study was to test whether conventional ITI-derived parameters can diagnose fluid retention that may cause early stage heart failure (HF).. HF patients implanted with high-energy devices with OptiVol (Medtronic) monitoring were enrolled in this study. Patients were monitored remotely. At both baseline and OptiVol alert, patients were assessed on standard examinations, including analysis of serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). From April 2010 to August 2011, 195 patients from 12 institutes were enrolled. There were 154 primary OptiVol alert events. BNP level at the alerts was not significantly different from that at baseline. Given that ITI was inversely correlated with log BNP, we added a criterion specifying that the OptiVol alert is triggered only when ITI decreases by ≥4% from baseline. This change improved the diagnostic potential of increase in BNP at OptiVol alert (sensitivity, 75%; specificity, 88%).. BNP increase could not be identified based on OptiVol alert. Decrease in ITI ≥4% compared with baseline, in addition to the alert, however, may be a useful marker for the likelihood of HF (Clinical trial info: UMIN000003351).

Topics: Acute Disease; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Algorithms; Biomarkers; Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy; Cardiography, Impedance; Cardiovascular Agents; Clinical Alarms; Combined Modality Therapy; Defibrillators, Implantable; Electric Impedance; Female; Heart Diseases; Heart Failure; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; Prospective Studies; Pulmonary Edema; ROC Curve; Telemedicine; Vena Cava, Inferior; Weight Gain

Chronic exposure to cold increases the growth of brown adipose tissue and the resistance to more severe cold, thus improving thermogenesis. The present study examined the possibility that dietary compounds can modify cold acclimation. Adenosine (ADO) or adenine (ADE) were administered in drinking water (0.05%, w/v) for 5 weeks to male ddY strain mice from 4 weeks of age. At 5 weeks of age, the mice were exposed to 4 degrees C for 4 weeks. After termination of this period, the interscapular brown adipose tissue (IBAT) and rectal temperature on acute exposure to severe cold (-20 degrees C) for 60 min were measured. Chronic exposure to cold increased the weight of IBAT and made mice resistant to a fall in rectal temperature on exposure to severe cold. The growth of IBAT and improvement in thermogenesis can be used as a cold acclimation profile in ddY mice. The growth of IBAT was selectively prevented by ingestion of ADO. The improvement in thermogenesis was reduced, but only a little, by the ingestion of either ADO or ADE. Thus, growth of brown adipocytes might not be necessary for cold acclimation in mice.

Topics: Acclimatization; Adenine; Adenosine; Adipocytes; Adipose Tissue, Brown; Animals; Blood Glucose; Butyrates; Cardiovascular Agents; Cold Temperature; Drinking; Eating; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; Male; Mice; Organ Size; Weight Gain