Primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular complications (CVC) has been one of the key areas in modern cardiology over the past decades. The article examined the relationship between the risk of CVC and the lipid metabolism parameters. The article discussed the major clinical trials the results of which constitute the evidence base for statins use to reduce the risk of acute coronary and cerebrovascular events.

Since the beginning of the 1960s, beta-blockers have been number one medications in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. A number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) demonstrated positive effect of beta-blockers on morbidity and mortality [1]. It is difficult to overestimate the role of beta-blockers in modern cardiology. According to the results of a meta-analysis of 18 RCTs, administration of beta-blockers in patients with a risk of cardiovascular disease was associated with a reduction of the risk of stroke by 29%, coronary heart disease (CHD) by 7%, and chronic heart failure (CHF) by 29% [2]. In combination with ACE inhibitors, antiplatelet agents and statins, beta blockers helped to decrease mortality from acute coronary syndrome by 90% [3].

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive and potentially dangerous, life-threatening disease. A variety of different diseases can be associated with a pathological increase in the average pulmonary artery pressure, hence PH is a very diverse entity. The pathophysiology of PH is extremely variable and complicated. PH may be initiated by factors underlying other diseases. Factors or processes which may often play a key role in the development of PH are genetic predisposition, endothelial dysfunction, vasoconstriction, proliferation, thrombosis, inflammation, and HIV infection. The mechanism of plexogenic pulmonary arteriopathy is not thoroughly understood. However, the primary role belongs to pulmonary endothelial dysfunction.

The article offers a definition, classification and describes the pathogenetic mechanisms of cognitive impairment in patients with arterial hypertension. The potential of different classes of antihypertensive drugs in the management of cognitive impairment and dementia prevention is discussed. The possible mechanisms of the improvement of cognitive functions during treatment with angiotensin II receptor blockers and calcium antagonists are considered.

The article is a review of disorders associated with lesions in the occipital lobes and their pathways. The article stresses that the disorders can not be reduced only to the cortical blindness, as the problem has a more comprehensive nature. The article considers the mechanisms of disorders related to perception of colors and shapes of objects, movements, as well as achromatopia, prosopagnosia, topographagnosia, akinetopsia, mnestic and other pathologies. The focus is on the results of current methods of functional neuroimaging that allowed to better understand the mechanisms for the developmental of such disorders. For patients with such vascular or primary degenerative disorders, there are chances for a certain recovery of the lost functions, which is associated with the processes of neuroplasticity. The outcomes could also be improved by non-pharmacological methods and a number of medications that improve the oxidation/reduction processes, particularly actovegin.

Osteoarthritis is the major nosological form representing degenerative joint disease, characterized by chronic, steadily progressive course. The disease is primarily caused by an imbalance between the anabolic and catabolic processes, especially in the hyaline cartilage. Administration of structure-modifying medications (or chondroprotectors) for the treatment of osteoarthritisis is pathogenetically substantiated, contributes to a significant reduction of the NSAIDs intake and considerably reduces the risk of side effects. Currently, the most thoroughly studied chondroprotectors are chondroitin

Identifying the causes of polyneuropathy is a challenging clinical problem. Patients are often diagnosed with "polyneuropathy of unknown origin". At the same time, the etiological treatment of polyneuropathy is the most effective. The article demonstrates the key clinical and paraclinical features of various polyneuropathies and their causes. The options for pathogenetic therapy of polyneuropathy with a neurotropic B vitamin complex are discussed.

The article tells about the epidemiological aspects of acute otitis media among the children and adult population in the world, questions related to the disease etiology and the basic principles of antimicrobial therapy today.

Acute tonsillitis caused by group A b-hemolytic streptococcus (GABHS) remains a challenge both for doctors and the healthcare in general. The article provides evidence of the revival of the highly virulent GABHS infection and the growing incidence of complications (acute rheumatic fever, toxic shock syndrome), and substantiates the need for rational antibiotic therapy of the disease. The drugs of choice for the treatment of acute GABHS tonsillitis are penicillins (amoxicillin, benzathine penicillin, phenoxymethylpenicillin) and 1st-generation cephalosporins (cefadroxil), and, in case of intolerance, b-lactam antibiotics - macrolides. In case of chronic recurrent GABHS tonsillitis, when the risk of colonization of the focal point by microorganisms producing b-lactamase is quite high, inhibitor-protected penicillins (amoxicillin-clavulanate) or 2nd- or 3rd-generation cephalosporins (cefuroxime axetil, cefixime) are administered. Lincosamides (lincomycin, clindamycin) are used in the treatment of acute and chronic GABHS tonsillitis as reserve antibiotics.

The article discusses the main causes of cough in non-smoking patients, patients whose X-rays revealed no progressing lung disease, and who was not treated with ACE inhibitors for the last 2 months. The article describes the clinical manifestations and treatment principles of acute cough in acute respiratory viral infection, post-infectious cough, whooping cough, chronic cough associated with postnasal wicking, gastroesophageal reflux disease, bronchial asthma and eosinophilic bronchitis.

More than 30 million cases of influenza and acute respiratory viral infections are registered in Russia every year. Therefore, the problem of adequate pharmacotherapy is turning into a real challenge. In recent years, combination drugs that are able to simultaneously affect virtually all symptoms characteristic of respiratory tract lesions from infectious diseases, have become widespread. This is achieved by combining several different mechanisms of action in one medication, while the effects complement and enhance each other. The most easy-to-use combination drugs have antipyretic, analgesic and antihistamine effects.

The article tells about the history of creation, questions of clinical pharmacology and the specific use of H1-antihistamines. The effectiveness and safety of I and II generation-drugs in patients with various diseases is demonstrated. Areas for further research are identified.

Jodantipyrin® is an inductor of endogenous interferon (IFN) which is used in the treatment of a variety of viral infections, including tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and influenza. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Jodantipyrin® in the emergency prevention and/or treatment of influenza and the febrile form of TBE.

Degenerative corneal diseases represent a relevant issue in the present-day ophthalmology. The key areas in the treatment of degenerative changes in the anterior chamber of the eye are anti-inflammatory, keratoprotective and tear substitute therapies. Visomitin eye drops have high therapeutic efficacy and safety of use in the treatment of primary and secondary corneal dystrophies.

The problem of NAFLD has been a matter of great interest among gastroenterologists, as well as endocrinologists and cardiologists. NAFLD is currently considered a component of hepatic metabolic syndrome. Understanding the multifactorial nature of NAFLD and the mechanisms of the associated diseases helps to adequately assess the prognosis of the disease and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Hypoglycemia is a common and often unavoidable side effect of hypoglycemic therapy. In an attempt to achieve better glycemic control, one should be aware of the potential consequences of hypoglycemic syndrome: risk of accidents, cognitive deficit, life-threatening arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, psychological trauma, loss of control over own actions, coma and even death.

Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are classified as "vulnerable patients" suffering from acute coronary syndrome (ACS) 2-3 times more often and have a pessimistic prognosis compared with normoglycemic patients. Hyperglycemia at admission to the intensive care worsens the long-term prognosis of ACS not only in patients with diabetes mellitus but also in patients without a history of diabetes. However, medical care for these patients is not normally focused on hyperglycemia. The particular problem lies in defining the target levels of glycemia and the period required for achieving those, as well as the selection of the appropriate glucose-lowering drugs. Several randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were used as a basis for evaluating aggressive insulin therapy and non-insulin hypoglycemic drugs in terms of cardiac safety and potential cardioprotective effects. The problem is closely related to the mechanisms of their impact on glycemic parameters: fasting and postprandial glycemia, variability, as well as the risk of hypoglycemia. Incretins, due to their glucose-dependent effects on insulin and glucagon secretion which regulate glycemic variability, are of special interest. According to finalized RCT which assessed the use of incretins after ACS, the cardiovascular end-points demonstrated cardiac safety of alogliptin and lixisenatide. However, alogliptin therapy was shown to improve the prognosis in women (OR = 0.60), patients with GFR > 60 ml/min (OR = 0.67) and patients suffering from diabetes type 2 for less than 5 years (OR = 0.61) . The relevance of the findings is discussed.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common functional bowel diseases. What is more, a number of digestive diseases are characterized by symptoms similar to those observed in IBS. The principles of treatment of IBS and IBS-related disorders are same. The key symptom of IBS - abdominal pain - is developed as a result of spasmodic or hyperkinetic dyskinesia, so the main group of drugs to be used in the treatment are antispasmodics. Preference is given to selective antispasmodics. Sparex is a national generic of the selective intestinal antispasmodic mebeverine hydrochloride which has been known since 1965, and is characterized by the most affordable price among analogues. The study which included 48 patients demonstrated high efficacy of Sparex administered for 4 weeks in a dosage of 200 mg twice daily for relief of pain, flatulence and stool normalization both in IBS and IBS-related disorders. Good and satisfactory results evaluated by a 3-point scale were achieved in 87.5% of patients. The results allowed to conclude that the medicine, apart from its strong antispasmodic effect, also provided a eukinetic action - normalization of the transit of chyme in the intestine both in constipation and diarrhea. Normalization of stool was observed in 77.2% of patients with both constipation and diarrhea, and in the rest of patients the severity of stool disorders decreased by more than 1 point. In the course of the study, no side effects were observed while taking Sparex.

Today, the role and importance of the first contact medical specialist (physician or general practitioner) is increasing in the diagnosis and management of patients with obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease today. The article discusses the diagnostic algorithm for obesity based on the AACE/ACE-2014 classification, and the potential of essential phospholipids in the therapeutic and prophylactic recommendations for patients with NAFLD associated with obesity.

The article is a review of literature and the current global and national recommendations for the management of pregnant women with asymptomatic bacteriuria (AB). The main agents of AB and recommended regimens of antibiotic therapy are described. The efficacy of fosfomycin trometamol as first-line therapy for pregnant women with AB is demonstrated.

Based on the analysis of the current global and national guidelines, the article offers a generalized algorithm for pregravid preparation of women with a history of miscarriage. There are recommendations on the identification and management of the main etiological factors of miscarriage to prevent recurrent pregnancy loss and other obstetric and perinatal complications.

The article analyzes a clinical cases of cardiac arrhythmia and amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis (AIT) in a patient with coronary artery disease (CAD). The article discussed the causes of cardiac arrhythmia and the treatment approach for CAD based on coronary angiography (CAG), as well as the efficacy of revascularization by coronary artery bypass grafting. The importance of hormonal tests and thyroid ultrasound before routine CAG is considered, and at least once in 6 months during amiodarone therapy. Differential diagnosis to clarify the type of AIT is carried out, as type I AIT is treated with tireostatics, and type II AIT with glucocorticosteroids. Comorbidity of somatic diseases in cardiological practice is one of the most crucial prognostic factors defining the outcome of the underlying disease. The article considers the choice of treatment approach for patients with CAD based on clinical tests.