دکتر حمیدرضا جوادی

Background:

 Hypertension is one of the most common clinical disorders affecting millions worldwide. Some studies have indicated the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of hypertension and the importance of antioxidant compounds in their control.

Objective :

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of olive leaf extract (OLE), Olea europaea L., on cardiometabolic parameters and biomarkers of oxidative stress in patients with essential hypertension.

Methods:

 This randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted in 2017 on 60 patients with essential hypertension aged 30-60 years referred to the cardiovascular clinic of Bu-Ali Sina Hospital in Qazvin, Iran. The patients were randomly allocated into two groups of OLE (n=30; receiving OLE 250 mg capsules twice per day for 12 weeks) and placebo (n=30, receiving placebo drug for 12 weeks). Before and after intervention, cardiometabolic parameters and oxidative stress biomarkers were measured using appropriate laboratory methods. To compare variables and groups, paired-t test and independent t-test were used, respectively.

Findings:

 The OLE intake led to a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure, serum total cholesterol, and malondialdehyde levels in hypertensive patients compared to the placebo group, but significantly increased superoxide dismutase activity (P<0.05). Moreover, the OLE intake had no significant effect on diastolic blood pressure, other lipid profiles and biomarkers of oxidative stress (P>0.05). 

Conclusion:

 OLE intake for 12 weeks had beneficial effects on some types of cardiometabolic and oxidative stress biomarkers in hypertensive patients.

 Myocardial infarction (MI) is among the most frequent causes of mortality and morbidity, with socioeconomic harms. Upper limb exercise, as part of cardiac rehabilitation program, is one of the secondary prevention methods of further MI and disease improvement. 

The present study investigated the effect of upper limb sport on the rate of readmission in patients with myocardial infarction.

 In this randomized clinical trial study, 54 patients with MI were randomly divided into two groups of 27 patients (intervention and control). The intervention group performed upper extremity exercise for 6 weeks, twice a week and for 40 minutes per session. The demographic information of both groups was obtained before the exercise program, and at the end of the intervention. Furthermore, a checklist for referral to physicians and readmissions was completed. The collected data were analyzed using Independent Sample t-test and Chi-squared test.

The number of readmission in the control group was higher than the test group; however, the group difference was not significant in terms of readmission (P=0.250 Moreover, in terms of the reasons of readmission (P=0.434), and the duration of readmission (P=0.095), there was no significant difference between the two groups. The difference between the two groups in terms of the number of referral to physician (P=0.231), and the reason for referral to physician, was not significant (P=0.111).

 The involvement of upper extremity exercises did not significantly change the rate of readmission and referral to physician of patients with myocardial infarction. Thus, further investigations are required in this regard.