 Method for calculating risks for cardiovascular disease made simpler
Nieuws van: Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen (UMCG)
With modern patient-friendly test methods, disorders of the autonomic nervous system can be detected in an early stage for patients with diabetes. This means that the increased risk of cardiovascular disease can be determined in the relevant patients. This can be concluded from research conducted by Joop Lefrandt at the Department of Internal Medicine of the UMCG. He will obtain a doctorate on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.
Lefrandt conducted research into the relationship between damage to the autonomic nervous system and damage to the heart and blood vessels. The autonomic nervous system is part of the central nervous system concerned with involuntary functions and is largely uninfluenced by the conscious mind. This is in contrast to the conscious part of the central nervous system. The autonomic nervous system regulates the heartbeat and the blood pressure by, for example, contracting the muscle cells in the blood vessels and regulating the secretion of stress hormones (adrenaline) by the adrenal glands. The autonomic nervous system also automatically regulates respiration, as well as the state of contraction in the airways, gastrointestinal tract and the bladder.
New insight
It has always been thought that damage to the autonomic nervous system is caused by damage to the peripheral nerves. Lefrandt did clinical research in patients with diabetes and in patients with high blood pressure, as well as in healthy volunteers. He demonstrated that damage to the autonomic nervous system results from damage to the heart and blood vessels. More specifically, it is the result of damage to blood-pressure receptors in the carotid artery, damage to the heart and damage to the endothelium of the blood vessels. In patients with high blood pressure, this results in continuous high concentrations of stress hormones. This means that patients with diabetes and high blood pressure have a significantly higher risk of dying as a result of, for example, a heart attack.
Finapres
Until recently, the functioning of the autonomic nervous system was measured with the help of the so-called Ewing battery. This method meant that patients had to undergo various tests for a period of two hours, such as breathing deeply; and standing up, or holding one hand immersed in ice-cold water. By the application of new, patient-friendly techniques such as baroreflex sensitivity analysis and heart rate variability analysis; any damage to the autonomic nervous system can be estimated more simply and accurately and within the space of ten minutes.
These new measurements are carried out with the so-called Finapres, a small non-invasive blood pressure monitor attached to the patient's finger.
Large-scale implementation
Cardiovascular diseases belong to the most important causes of death in the West. In the explosively growing group of patients with type two diabetes (diabetes due to overweight), damage to the heart and blood vessels is an extremely important cause of death. For this group of patients in particular, the findings of Lefrandt's research are very relevant. Because the new methods are patient-friendly and need little time to complete, they can be implemented on a large-scale basis. Damage to the autonomic nervous system and risk of possible death due to cardiovascular diseases can therefore be estimated in an early stage. Even before any damage to the autonomic nervous system has led to complaints or symptoms, treatment by medication can be administered.
www.umcg.nl/azg/nl/english/nieuws/90683 - 20 Jun 2006
|
Printen
Doorsturen