Smoking hypertension and

There is a higher incidence of impaired sexual function in men who take finasteride compared with placebo (58,59). The incidence of erectile dysfunction has been estimated at 5% (60), but it is difficult to estimate, since in many users of the drug other causes are present, including advanced age, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, and hypercholesterolemia. Benign prostatic hyperplasia itself can also aggravate or even induce erectile dysfunction. A questionnaire study in New Jersey... 

Coronary artery disease is a leading cause of death in dialysis patients, but it has not been proved that its prevalence exceeds that in age- and risk-matched controls. It is clear, however, that white men have greater triglyceridemia and lower HDL cholesterol levels and greater coronary mortality than do black men, despite the fact that the latter exhibit a higher prevalence of hypertension, smoking, and left ventricular hypertrophy (C26). 

Factors that predispose an individual to IHD are listed in Table 4—2. Hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and cigarette smoking are associated with endothelial dysfunction and potentiate atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries. The risk for IHD increases two-fold for every 20 mm Hg increment in systolic blood pressure and up to eight-fold in the presence of diabetes.5,6 Physical inactivity and obesity independently increase the risk for IHD, in addition to predisposing individuals to other cardiovascular risk factors (e.g., hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes). 

A cohort mortality study was conducted to compare the mortality rates due to chronic renal disease in 4,519 battery plant workers and 2,300 lead production or smelter workers from 1947 to 1980 (Cooper 1988 Cooper et al. 1985). The mortality data for these workers were compared with national mortality rates for white males. Environmental lead levels and PbB levels were available for only about 30% of all workers for varying time periods from 1947 to 1972. Statistically significant increases in mortality from "other hypertensive disease" and "chronic nephritis" were seen in both lead cohorts. Limitations of this study include the fact that various confounding factors, such as smoking, were not accounted for, and the workers were probably exposed to other toxic chemicals. 

The disturbance of balance between superoxide and nitric oxide occurs in a variety of common disease states. For example, altered endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation due to a decrease in NO formation has been shown in animal models of hypertension, diabetes, cigarette smoking, and heart failure [21]. Miller et al. [22] suggested that a chronic animal model atherosclerosis closely resembles the severity of atherosclerosis in patients. On the whole, the results obtained in humans, for example, in hypertensive patients [23] correspond well to animal experiments. It is important that endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation in patients may be improved by ascorbic acid probably through the reaction with superoxide. 

Multiple-risk-factor intervention (treatment of dyslipidemia and hypertension, smoking cessation, antiplatelet therapy) reduces macrovascular events. 

Women with controlled dyslipidemias can use low-dose CHCs, with periodic monitoring of fasting lipid profiles. Women with uncontrolled dysiipidemia (LDL greater than 160 mg/dL, HDL less than 35 mg/dL, triglycerides greater than 250 mg/dL) and additional risk factors (e.g., coronary artery disease, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, or a positive family history) should use an alternative method of contraception. 

Progression factors hasten decline in kidney function after initiation of kidney damage. Progression factors include glycemia in diabetics, hypertension, proteinuria, and smoking. 

The death rate for heart disease has actually been declining over the past few decades, while the number of patients with CAD is increasing. This may reflect increasing quality of medical care, but it should be noted that in the elderly, heart disease becomes an ever more important cause of death, much more so than cancer. There are also concerns that while a lot of attention has been directed at smoking and cholesterol as risk factors, hypertension and diabetes are emerging as the next generation of major risk factors and are further accentuated in our increasingly obese and sedentary society. 

Management in all cases has the same three components. First, the obstruction must be removed or lysed. Second, risk factors such as cigarette smoking, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes mellitus or systemic hypertension recognized and corrected. 

Brain injury from stroke is a major public health problem in most industrialized countries in the world. For example, in the United States over 0.5 million cases of stroke occur annually, the incidence of stroke doubles approximately each decade over the age of 45 and occurs in up to 2% in those over 75. Frequently, stroke causes major disability with the patient having difficulty in communication, ambulation and movement, or in reasoning. Fortunately, the incidence and severity of stroke has been reduced in many countries by the introduction of preventative measures aimed at controlling hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, smoking and by the use of anticoagulants in high risk groups. 

The CARDS randomized 2838 people with Type 2 diabetes plus retinopathy, microalbuminuria, hypertension, or smoking and no history of macrovascular disease to receive either ator-vastatin or placebo. Atorvastatin reduced the combined... 

Lifestyle factors have been associated with ED in both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. In particular, obesity and sedentary lifestyle are clear-cut risk factors for ED, both in men with comorbid illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes, and especially in men without overt cardiovascular disease (50). Other lifestyle factors, such as smoking and alcohol consumption, have been implicated in some, but not all, studies to date. Intervening on cardiovascular and lifestyle factors may have broader benefits beyond restoration of erectile function. This important concept needs careful consideration, as recent studies have implicated the role of the metabolic syndrome, obesity, insulin resistance, and lack of exercise as independent risk factors for both ED and cardiovascular disease (51,52). 

A whey protein hydrolysate BioZate , containing ACE-inhibitory peptide was recently developed by Davisco Foods International Inc. The effect on blood pressure was studied with 30 unmedicated, non-smoking, borderline hypertensive men and women, and daily dose was 20 g. The results indicated that there was a significant drop in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure after 1-week treatment, which persisted throughout the study of 6 weeks. The application of this product is varied and flexible. In addition to the bioactive peptides, it has functional properties such as emulsification and foaming (Klink, 2002). 

Cardiovascular The most serious side effect of oral contraceptives is cardiovascular disease, including thromboembolism, thrombophlebitis, hypertension, and increased incidences of myocardial infarction and cerebral and coronary thrombosis. These adverse effects are most common among women who smoke and who are over 35 years of age, although they may affect women of any age. 

Any relationship between obesity and stroke is likely to be confounded by the positive association of obesity with hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and lack of exercise, and the negative association with smoking and concurrent illness. Nevertheless, stroke is more common in the obese, and abdominal obesity appears to be an independent predictor of stroke (Suk et al. 2003). The constellation of metabolic abnormalities including central obesity, decreased high density lipoprotein, elevated triglycerides, elevated blood pressure and impaired glucose tolerance is known as the metabolic syndrome and is associated with a three-fold increase risk of type 2 diabetes and a two-fold increase in cardiovascular risk (Eckel et al. 2005 Grundy et al. 2005). 

Homer D, Ingall TJ, Baker HL et al. (1991). Serum lipids and lipoproteins are less powerful predictors of extracranial carotid artery atherosclerosis than are cigarette smoking and hypertension. Mayo Clinic Proceedings 66 259-267 Hooper L, Capps N, Clements G et al. (2004). Foods or supplements rich in omega-3 fatty acids for preventing cardiovascular disease in patients with ischemic heart disease. 

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