Hidden sodium in effervescent-tablet dietary supplements and over-the-counter drugs: a comparative cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Dietary sodium intake represents a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality. The study sought to analyse the sodium content of effervescent dietary supplements and drugs in Germany and the USA. DESIGN: Comparative cross-sectional study. SETTING AND METHODS: The sodium content of 39 dietary supplement effervescent tablets available in Germany was measured in May and June 2022 using optical emission spectrometry with inductively coupled argon plasma. The sodium content of 33 common pharmacy-only effervescent tablets (over-the-counter (OTC) drugs) in Germany was obtained from the summary of product characteristics. We compared the sodium content of the measured German dietary supplement effervescent tablets to that of 51 dietary supplement effervescent tablets available in the USA (data: National Institutes of Health's Dietary Supplement Label Database). RESULTS: The measured sodium content in the German dietary supplements was 283.9±122.6 mg sodium/tablet, equivalent to 14±6% of the maximum recommended daily sodium intake (MRDSI). Vitamin products had the highest (378.3±112.8 mg, 19±6% of MRDSI), and calcium products had the lowest mean sodium content (170.4±113.2 mg, 9±6% of MRDSI). Vitamin products contained significantly more sodium than magnesium (378.3 mg vs 232.7 mg; p=0.004), calcium (378.3 mg vs 170.4 mg; p=0.006) and mineral products (378.3 mg vs 191.6 mg; p=0.048). The sodium content measured in products available in Germany was higher when compared with the declared sodium content on the label of the products sold in the USA (283.9 mg vs 190.0 mg; p<0.001). The median summary of product characteristics-declared sodium content of a single dose of the German OTC drugs was 157.0 mg (IQR: 98.9-417.3 mg); pain/common cold drugs contained the most sodium (median: 452.1 mg; IQR: 351.3-474.0 mg). CONCLUSION: Effervescent tablets of nutritional supplements and OTC drugs contain high amounts of sodium, which often is not disclosed.

Radio frequency-based renal denervation: a story of simplicity?

Radio frequency-based renal denervation is a safe and effective way of lowering blood pressure, a common condition associated with high cardiovascular risk. Several catheters have been developed to administer energy to the renal arteries and their side branches, thereby modulating sympathetic renal activity. The Symplicity Flex™ and Symplicity Spyral™ are first- and second-generation devices, respectively, for radio frequency-based renal denervation. There is a continuous need to further improve and adjust interventional antihypertensive therapies. Several randomized controlled trials have been conducted to investigate the safety and efficacy of these catheters and most were able to show radio frequency-based renal denervation to be feasible, safe and effective in lowering blood pressure in hypertensive patients with and without concomitant antihypertensive medication. Herein, the authors discuss the pathophysiologic concepts of renal denervation and its procedural approaches, report catheter designs, summarize clinical trials outcomes and, finally, discuss real-world evidence.

High blood pressure causes illness and death worldwide. Treatment of high blood pressure is usually based on lifestyle modification and blood pressure-lowering drugs. Renal denervation represents a minimally invasive approach to lower blood pressure by interrupting the nerves surrounding the renal arteries. These nerves are involved in the body's fight-or-flight and rest-and-digest systems, the so-called autonomous nervous system. The Spyral™ catheter system uses radio frequency energy to modulate renal nerve activity. Trials have consistently shown that renal denervation is safe. The first-generation catheter was a monoelectrode catheter called Symplicity Flex™ and several points in the renal artery had to be treated. The second-generation device called the Symplicity Spyral™ catheter, on the other hand, has a multielectrode design and consequently fewer ablation points are sufficient for complete denervation. Caused by the positive effects on blood pressure and the consistent safety reports, renal denervation is considered by current guidelines as an alternative and additive treatment approach in patients with high blood pressure.

Arterial Hypertension-clinical trials update 2023.

Arterial hypertension is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and research in the field is highly dynamic. This summary reviews the most important clinical trials published in 2022 and early 2023. Findings on new pharmacological approaches to treat resistant hypertension are presented and new knowledge about the optimal timing of the antihypertensive medication intake is discussed. It is focused on optimal blood pressure treatment targets and the problem of treatment and guideline inertia is acknowledged. Information about pregnancy-related hypertension is presented and blood pressure control following percutaneous thrombectomy after ischemic stroke is discussed. Finally, novel clinical data on device-based approaches to treat hypertension are summarized. The hypertension trials update summarizes the most important clincal trials on hypertension research in 2022 and early 2023. CTD - chlorthalidone, CV - cardiovascular, HCT - hydrochlorothiazide, SBP - systolic blood pressure, RDN - renal denervation *depicts systolic blood pressure only.

Device Therapy of Hypertension.

In the past decade, efforts to improve blood pressure control have looked beyond conventional approaches of lifestyle modification and drug therapy to embrace interventional therapies. Based upon animal and human studies clearly demonstrating a key role for the sympathetic nervous system in the etiology of hypertension, the newer technologies that have emerged are predominantly aimed at neuromodulation of peripheral nervous system targets. These include renal denervation, baroreflex activation therapy, endovascular baroreflex amplification therapy, carotid body ablation, and pacemaker-mediated programmable hypertension control. Of these, renal denervation is the most mature, and with a recent series of proof-of-concept trials demonstrating the safety and efficacy of radiofrequency and more recently ultrasound-based renal denervation, this technology is poised to become available as a viable treatment option for hypertension in the foreseeable future. With regard to baroreflex activation therapy, endovascular baroreflex amplification, carotid body ablation, and programmable hypertension control, these are developing technologies for which more human data are required. Importantly, central nervous system control of the circulation remains a poorly understood yet vital component of the hypertension pathway and mandates further investigation. Technology to improve blood pressure control through deep brain stimulation of key cardiovascular control territories is, therefore, of interest. Furthermore, alternative nonsympathomodulatory intervention targeting the hemodynamics of the circulation may also be worth exploring for patients in whom sympathetic drive is less relevant to hypertension perpetuation. Herein, we review the aforementioned technologies with an emphasis on the preclinical data that underpin their rationale and the human evidence that supports their use.

Inducibility of atrial fibrillation after catheter ablation predicts recurrences of atrial fibrillation: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is a component of standard care for patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF). Procedural inducibility of AF following PVI has been suggested as predictor of AF recurrence but is discussed controversially. This meta-analysis aimed at evaluating the relevance of electrophysiological inducibility of AF following PVI for future AF recurrences. METHODS: A literature search of MEDLINE and Web of Science was performed until April 2020. Prospective trials of PVI in patients with AF and post-procedural atrial stimulation to test for inducibility of AF as well as adequate follow-up for AF recurrence (defined as AF >10 s to >10 min at follow-up) were included. Odds ratios (ORs) were analyzed using random-effects models. RESULTS: A total of 11 trials with 1544 patients (follow-up 7-39 months, age 56 ± 6 years, predominantly male 74 ± 6%) were included. Inducibility of AF post-PVI was predictive for AF recurrence during follow-up (OR 2.08; 95% CI 1.25 to 3.46). Prediction for AF recurrence at follow-up was better for patients with paroxysmal AF (OR 4.06; 95% CI 1.39 to 11.91), stimulation in the CS (OR 2.82, 95% CI 1.17 to 6.79). A trend towards higher ORs was seen without the use of isoproterenol (OR 2.43; 95% CI 1.17 to 5.07), as well as few stimulations during induction and a short definition of AF in meta-regression analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Electrophysiological inducibility of AF following PVI was predictive for future recurrence of AF, in particular in patients with paroxysmal AF, stimulation in only CS and no use of isoproterenol.

Hypertension trials update.

Hypertension is one of the most prevalent cardiovascular diseases and its treatment requires multimodal therapeutic approaches. This review aims to provide a summary and update on relevant evidence in hypertension research published in 2019/2020. These include trials dealing with the prognostic effect of systolic and diastolic blood pressure values, the association between hypertension and valve disease, reproducibility of masked and white-coat hypertension, and the prognostic importance of ambulatory and night-time blood pressure measurements. Treatment of hypertension focusing on elderly patients but also the potential cancer risk of thiazide diuretics, the valsartan recall, chronotherapy, and device-based hypertension therapy are discussed.

Device-based therapies for arterial hypertension.

Arterial hypertension is the most prevalent modifiable risk factor associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Although antihypertensive drugs are widely available, in many patients blood pressure control to guideline-recommended target values is not achieved. Several device-based approaches have been introduced to lower blood pressure; most of these strategies aim to modulate autonomic nervous system activity. Clinical trials have moved from including patients with resistant hypertension receiving intensive pharmacological treatment to including patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension in the presence or absence of antihypertensive medications. Renal sympathetic denervation is the most extensively investigated device-based therapy for hypertension, and randomized, sham-controlled trials have provided proof-of-principle data for its blood pressure-lowering efficacy. Unilateral electrical baroreflex activation, endovascular baroreflex amplification and pacemaker-mediated cardiac neuromodulation therapy have yielded promising results in observational trials, which need to be confirmed in larger, adequately powered, sham-controlled trials. Until further evidence becomes available, device-based therapy for hypertension should not be considered for routine treatment. However, when considering a device-based treatment for hypertension, the underlying pathophysiology in each patient has to be taken into consideration, and the procedural risks weighed against the cardiovascular risk attributable to the elevated blood pressure. This Review summarizes the pathophysiological rationale and the latest clinical evidence for device-based therapies for hypertension.

The Current Status of Devices for the Treatment of Resistant Hypertension.

Arterial hypertension is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Although blood pressure-lowering therapies significantly reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events, blood pressure control remains unsatisfactorily low. Several device-based antihypertensive therapies have been investigated in patients with treatment-resistant hypertension and in patients unable or unwilling to adhere to antihypertensive medication. As the field of device-based therapies is subject to constant change, this review aims at providing an up-to-date overview of different device-based approaches for the treatment of hypertension. These approaches target the sympathetic nervous system (renal denervation, baroreflex amplification therapy, baroreflex activation therapy, and carotid body ablation) or alter mechanical arterial properties by creating an iliac arteriovenous fistula. Notably, the use of all of these treatment options is not recommended for the routine treatment of hypertension by current guidelines but should be investigated in the context of controlled clinical studies.

Peripheral edema and headache associated with amlodipine treatment: a meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: Use of amlodipine for treatment of arterial hypertension and stable coronary artery disease (CAD) is sometimes limited by occurrence of peripheral edema and headache. We aimed to explore the true magnitude of this phenomenon by determining the rate and placebo-adjusted rate of these side effects. METHODS: We performed a meta-analysis by including all randomized, placebo-controlled trials reporting edema and headache with amlodipine in patients with arterial hypertension and CAD. Placebo-adjusted rate (%) was determined as follows: (SE amlodipine % - SE placebo %)/SE amlodipine %. RESULTS: Data from 7226 patients of 22 trials were analyzed. Rate of edema was higher on amlodipine vs. placebo (16.6 vs. 6.2%, risk ratio: 2.9, 95% CI: 2.50-3.36, P < 0.0001). The placebo-adjusted rate was 63%, indicating that 37% of edema cases were unrelated to amlodipine. Treatment with low/medium doses (2.5-5 mg) resulted in lower rates of edema (risk ratio: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.41-2.88, P = 0.0001) vs. high dose (10 mg) (risk ratio: 3.08, 95% CI 2.62-3.60, P < 0.0001, Pforinteraction = 0.03). Incidence of headache was reduced using amlodipine vs. placebo (7.9 vs. 10.9%, risk ratio: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.65-0.90, P = 0.002) and was driven by use of low/medium doses (risk ratio: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.40-0.69, P < 0.00001 vs. risk ratio: 0.92, 95%-CI: 0.74-1.15, P = 0.45, for high doses, Pforinteraction = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Although risks of peripheral edema are three-fold higher on amlodipine, up to one-third of edema cases on amlodipine might not be induced by amlodipine. Headache is reduced on amlodipine treatment, mainly driven by use of this drug at low/medium doses.

Device-based Therapy for Hypertension.

Hypertension continues to be a major contributor to global morbidity and mortality, fuelled by an abundance of patients with uncontrolled blood pressure despite the multitude of pharmacological options available. This may occur as a consequence of true resistant hypertension, through an inability to tolerate current pharmacological therapies, or non-adherence to antihypertensive medication. In recent years, there has been a rapid expansion of device-based therapies proposed as novel non-pharmacological approaches to treating resistant hypertension. In this review, we discuss seven novel devices-renal nerve denervation, baroreflex activation therapy, carotid body ablation, central iliac arteriovenous anastomosis, deep brain stimulation, median nerve stimulation, and vagal nerve stimulation. We highlight how the devices differ, the varying degrees of evidence available to date and upcoming trials. This review also considers the possible factors that may enable appropriate device selection for different hypertension phenotypes.

Low-Level But Not High-Level Baroreceptor Stimulation Inhibits Atrial Fibrillation in a Pig Model of Sleep Apnea.

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) increases susceptibility to atrial fibrillation (AF) by a combined sympatho-vagal hyperactivation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of autonomic nervous system modulation by low-level baroreceptor stimulation (LL-BRS) compared to high-level BRS (HL-BRS) on atrial arrhythmogenic changes in a pig model of OSA. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sixteen pigs received tracheotomy under general urethane/chloralose anesthesia. Group 1 pigs (n = 8) received LL-BRS (at 80% of that slowing sinus rate) for 3 hours and group 2 pigs (n = 8) received HL-BRS (slowing sinus rate). Changes in atrial effective refractory period (AERP) and AF-inducibility were determined during applied negative thoracic pressure (NTP) for 2 minutes before and at the end of the 3-hour stimulation protocol. Group 1: LL-BRS prolonged AERP from 150 ± 5 to 172 ± 19 milliseconds (P < 0.001). After 3 hours of LL-BRS, NTP-induced AERP-shortening was diminished from -51 ± 10 milliseconds (-34%) to -22 ± 4 milliseconds (-13%) (P < 0.01). AF-inducibility during NTP maneuvers decreased from 90% at baseline to 15% (P < 0.01). Group 2: HL-BRS shortened AERP from 150 ± 17 to 132 ± 8 milliseconds (P = 0.024). After 3 hours of HL-BRS, NTP-induced AERP-shortening was increased from -55 ± 7 milliseconds (-36%) to -72 ± 11 milliseconds (-54%) (P < 0.05) and AF-inducibility was not affected. NTP-induced changes in blood gases and blood pressure were not different between the groups. CONCLUSION: LL-BRS suppressed NTP-induced AERP-shortening and AF-inducibility. By contrast HL-BRS further perpetuated NTP-induced AERP-shortening and increased AF-inducibility. These findings support only the use of LL-BRS as a novel therapeutic modality to treat AF in OSA.