Article in Science News Letter Damage to Nerves in Heart

[Guest guest]

I don't know if Pam or others have also tracked down this research but a

recent issue of Science News Letter ( N. Seppa. Vol 161. May 11, 2002. p.

293.) has an article of interest to Shy Drager / MSA patients. The half page

summary is titled " Hidden Damage " and reflects several controlled studies of

Parkinson's patients who also show signs of orthostatic hypotension. The

work has been carried out by F. Pfeiffer of the U of Tennessee Health

Center and Shengting Li of the NIH Institute of Neurological Disorders and

Stroke. Interestingly, despite the fact that the study was dealing with

people who show classic orthostatic hypotension, the article mentions

neither SDS or MSA. I don't know whether the research paper(s) mention that

or not.

One study indicates that patients showing orthostatic hypotension also show

evidence of damage with the muscular left ventricle of the heart. The study

also revealed diminished nerve activity in the kidneys and thyroid glands of

such patients. One conclusion from the study is that sinemet itself appeared

to not be a cause of orthostatic hypotension. Rather nerve damage in the

area seemed to be involved.

Peg and Jim from Guam

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