No abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a risk factor for arterial thrombosis and cardiovascular morbidity. Activated platelets play key roles in the development of atherothrombosis, thus may be involved in these complications of OSAS. Herein, we evaluated the relationship between severity of OSAS and the degree of platelet aggregates as a marker of activated platelets in 64 patients with OSAS. Platelet aggregations were determined by means of optical aggregometry, using adenosine diphosphate (ADP) as an agonist. Compared with the control group, ADP-induced platelet aggregability was increased in patients with total OSAS, severe OSAS, and in mild to moderate OSAS. Moreover, ADP-induced platelet aggregation was correlated with the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) in patients with severe OSAS. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is associated with enhanced platelets aggregations, which may predispose the cardiovascular sequels. The ESS may be important in predicting platelet activation and thus atherothrombotic complications in those with OSAS.

No abstract

Background: Ginger has a long tradition of use for the treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy but there are doubts about its efficacy and safety. Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ginger in the treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. Method: Relevant clinical studies were identified by searching Medline, Embase and ScienceDirect in December 2003. Clinical studies: Six clinical trials were considered and summarised. Although the studies were limited in scale and duration the results suggested that ginger is well tolerated and available evidence does not indicate an increased risk of congenital malformations. Ginger appears to have a modest potential for efficacy. Conclusion: The limited studies suggest that low‐dose, short‐term use of ginger may be considered as an alternative for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. J Pharm Pract Res 2004; 34: 305–7.