Effects of audio relaxation programs for blood pressure reduction in older adults

Background

Stress management is one element of the lifestyle modification that is recommended for blood pressure control. Reduction in sympathetic arousal may be achieved through a series of audio relaxation training.

Aims

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the short-term and long-term effects of two audio relaxation programs for blood pressure reduction in older adults.

Methods

This clinical randomized study consists of 12-sessions of intervention, with one-month and three-month follow up measures. 41 older adults were randomly assigned to either listening to a 12-minute audio relaxation program or a 12-minute Mozart andante. At each session, blood pressures were recorded.

Results

For both groups, the reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressures after the 12-session intervention training was statistically and clinically significant. The reduction in systolic blood pressure was greater in the audio relaxation group than the Mozart group. The adherence to the program at one-month and three-month was 54% and 66% respectively. The blood pressure at one-month and three-month were not significantly different than the initial measurement.

Conclusions

Significant blood pressure reduction can be achieved through a brief 12-minute audio relaxation program with older adults. Guided relaxation may be more effective in lowering blood pressure than plain music.     

放松训练配合聆听音乐对晚期骨转移癌患者疼痛控制的研究

目的评价放松训练配合聆听音乐在晚期骨转移癌患者疼痛控制中的作用。方法于患者入院时即进行放松训练配合聆听音乐后分别测定患者的疼痛程度及评价患者的主观感受。结果进行放松训练配合聆听音乐后患者疼痛程度明显减轻（P〈0．01）;自制问卷调查显示,患者对放松训练配合聆听音乐的正性评价为94％。结论放松训练配合聆听音乐有助于晚期骨转移癌患者疼痛的控制。     

放松训练对肿瘤患者术前心身健康的影响

目的：探讨放松训练对肿瘤患者术前心身健康的影响。方法：将80例肿瘤患者随机分为干预组和对照组各40例。对照组进行常规术前干预指导,干预组在此基础上加用放松训练。分析比较放松训练对肿瘤患者术前生理、心理应激反应的影响。结果：干预后干预组患者的焦虑自评量表评分、心率、血压明显低于对照组（P〈O．05）。结论：放松训练有利于肿瘤患者的心身健康。     

Endothelium-independent relaxation and contraction of rat aorta induced by ethyl acetate extract from leaves of Morus alba (L.)

Aim of the study

Based on screening for vasoactive traditional Chinese medicinal herbs, the present study was performed to investigate the vasoactive effects of an ethyl acetate extract from leaves of Morus alba (L.) (ELM) on rat thoracic aorta and the mechanisms underlying these effects.

Materials and methods

Isolated rat thoracic rings were mounted in an organ bath system and the effects of ELM on their responses were evaluated.

Results

ELM (0.125–32.000 g/l) induced a concentration-dependent relaxation (P < 0.01 vs. control) both in endothelium-intact and -denuded aortas precontracted by high K⁺ (6 × 10⁻² M) or 10⁻⁶ M phenylephrine (PE). In endothelium-denuded aortas, ELM at the EC₅₀ concentration reduced Ca²⁺-induced contraction (P < 0.01 vs. control) after PE or KCl had generated a stable contraction in Ca²⁺-free solution. And after incubation with verapamil, ELM induced contraction in endothelium-denuded aortas precontracted by PE (P < 0.01 vs. control); this was abolished by ruthenium red (P < 0.01 vs. ELM-treated endothelium-denuded group; P > 0.05 vs. control), but not by heparin (P > 0.01 vs. ELM-treated endothelium-denuded group; P < 0.01 vs. control).

Conclusions

The results showed that ELM had dual vasoactive effects, and the relaxation was greater than the contraction. The relaxation was mediated by inhibition of voltage- and receptor-dependent Ca²⁺ channels in vascular smooth muscle cells, while the contraction occurred via activation of ryanodine receptors in the sarcoplasmic reticulum.     

轻松音乐联合阿托品在结肠镜检查中的应用价值

目的　观察轻松音乐联合阿托品应用于结肠镜检查中病人的依从性及对肠镜操作的影响。方法　 13 2例病人随机分成观察组 ( 66例 ,联合使用音乐与术前 15分钟肌注阿托品 0 .5mg)和对照组 ( 66例 ,不予任何干预措施 ) ,记录两组操作时间 ,是否完成肠镜 ,患者的满意程度。结果　观察组操作时间明显少于对照组 (P <0 .0 1) ,观察组患者满意度高于对照组。结论　轻松音乐联合阿托品辅助肠镜可缩短操作时间 ,减少病人痛苦。     

Die Wirkung des Alters auf Anschlagszeit und Erholung nach Atracurium,Rocuronium und Vecuronium

Elderly patients may show an age-related decline in physiologic functions, which may be responsible for the prolonged duration of some neuromuscular blocking agents. Previous studies have yielded conflicting results as to the effects of these drugs in the elderly. Methods. After obtaining informed consent and approval of the Ethics Committee, we compared onset and recovery times of single IV doses of atracurium, rocuronium, and vecuronium given to 108 patients divided into three groups according to age (18–50, 51–64, ≥65 years). Following oxazepam premedication and fentanyl and thiopentone induction, patients were randomly allocated to receive atracurium, rocuronium or vecuronium (0.5, 0.6, or 0.1?mg/kg, respectively) in ≤0.8?vol.% enflurane (end-tidal)-nitrous oxide anaesthesia. Muscular relaxation was assessed by electromyographic (EMG) recording of the adductor pollicis muscle after supramaximal single-twitch stimulation of the ulnar nerve every 10?s. Onset time and recovery to 25%, 75% and 90% of twitch control values (DUR25, 75, 90) were recorded. Creatinine clearance predicted from serum creatinine (C_cr) was correlated with recovery from neuromuscular block. Results. Onset time was not different among groups or relaxants. The results showed a prolonged duration of action for atracurium (DUR75, DUR90), rocuronium (DUR25, DUR75), and vecuronium (DUR25) in the elderly. A number of patients did not reach DUR75 or DUR90. There was a significant relationship between age and failure to return to control values during recovery from neuromuscular block, especially after atracurium and rocuronium. C_cr showed a negative correlation with age for all relaxants, but a negative significant correlation between C_cr and recovery was found only for rocuronium. Conclusions. This study suggests that onset time for atracurium, rocuronium and vecuronium is not age-dependent. Recovery was prolonged in the elderly for all three relaxants. This effect appears to be secondary to changes in body composition and function accompanying the aging process. Neither atracurium nor vecuronium depends significantly on the kidney for elimination, but the negative correlation between C_cr and rocuronium suggests an appreciable role for the kidney in the elimination of this relaxant. The long recovery times observed in this study could also be related to enflurane anaesthesia. We suggest that failure of EMG responses to return to baseline values during recovery from neuromuscular block may be related to age, especially for atracurium and rocuronium.     

In vitro studies of isolated supported human hearts

Summary We developed methods to revive human hearts, obtained at the time of cardiac transplantation, and study them in the physiology laboratory. The hearts were arrested with cardioplegic solution at the time of explantation and transported to the laboratory at 4°C. The hearts were perfused with a human blood based solution whose flow rate, temperature, and ionic concentration were controlled. Six hearts with various endstage cardiomyopathies were revived in this manner. Once perfusion was started, the hearts maintained a steady contractile state for approximately 30 min during which time data could be collected. Within this time period we could measure end-systolic and end-diastolic pressure-volume relations, the time courses of contraction and relaxation, and the influence of heart rate and premature stimulation on contractile state. The results suggest that evidence of specific cellular abnormalities in human heart disease might be obtained from measurements of global ventricular performance. Furthermore, the type of abnormality identified, namely sarcoplasmic reticulum dysfunction, in several forms of cardiomyopathy was in concordance with results obtained in muscle bath studies of similarly diseased human and animal myocardium.     

Effects of prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors on the upper urinary tract

Summary Prostaglandin inhibitors such as indomethacin have been used for the treatment of renal colic. While opioids have a central analgesic effect, the effects of indomethacin are mainly peripheral, acting directly on the kidney. Pharmacourodynamic investigations of the upper urinary tract in men have demonstrated that intravenous indomethacin reduces renal pelvic pressure. These effects are more intense with indomethacin than with metamizol and are not found with hyoscine butylbromide. We have determined that indomethacin reduces the smooth muscle activity of human renal pelvis preparations in a tissue bath. These findings may represent a further possible direct effect of indomethacin on the upper urinary tract during the treatment of renal colic.     

Depressed endothelium-dependent relaxation in hypertension: relation to increased blood pressure and reversibility

Endothelium-dependent relaxation effects have been reported to be impaired in thoracic aorta from genetic and experimentally induced hypertensive rats. This study extends these observations to carotid artery and abdominal aorta from renovascular hypertensive rats. It was also found that rats with coarctation of aorta show depressed endothelium-dependent relaxation responses in thoracic aorta above the stenosis (high pressure region) while no depressed responses are observed in abdominal aorta below the stenosis (normal pressure region). Reversibility of the depression of endothelium-dependent relaxation was investigated on aorta from renovascular hypertensive rats in which blood pressure was normalized by removal of the stenotic kidney three months after induction of hypertension. Endothelium-dependent responses were restored partially after 1–2 weeks and completely after two months of normalization of blood pressure. These results indicate that the increased blood pressure is indeed the causative factor responsible for the impaired endothelium-dependent relaxations in arteries from experimental hypertensive rats, a phenomenon which is reversible, at least in our experimental conditions.