Claims
- 1. A method of treating, preventing, or reducing the development of an atherosclerosis-associated disease in a patient in need thereof, said method comprising administering to said patient a rifamycin in an amount effective to treat, prevent, or reduce the development of said atherosclerosis-associated disease in said patient.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said rifamycin is administered in an amount ranging between 0.001 and 100 mg.
- 3. The method of claim 2, wherein said rifamycin is administered in an amount ranging between 1 and 50 mg.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said rifamycin is administered in an amount ranging between 5 and 25 mg/week.
- 5. The method of claim 4, wherein said rifamycin is administered in an amount ranging between 2.5 and 25 mg/day.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein said rifamycin is administered at an initial dose of 2.5 mg to 100 mg for one to seven consecutive days, followed by a maintenance dose of 0.005 to 10 mg once every one to seven days.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein said patient is further administered a second therapeutic agent.
- 8. The method of claim 7, wherein second therapeutic agent is an anti-inflammatory agent, antibacterial agent, platelet aggregation inhibitor, anticoagulant, antipyretic, or lipid-lowering agent.
- 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said anti-inflammatory agent is ibuprofen, meloxicam, celecoxib, rofecoxib, aspirin, dexamethasone, methylprednisolone, prednisolone, or prednisone.
- 10. The method of claim 8, wherein said antipyretic is acetaminophen.
- 11. The method of claim 8, wherein said antibacterial agent is azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, gatifloxacin, levofloxacin, amoxicillin, or metronidazole.
- 12. The method of claim 8, wherein said lipid-lowering agent is a statin.
- 13. The method of claim 12, wherein said statin is atorvastatin, rosuvastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin, pravastatin, cerivastatin, or fluvastatin.
- 14. The method of claim 1, wherein said atherosclerosis-associated disease is coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, stroke, cerebral ischemia, intermittent claudication, gangrene, mesenteric ischemia, temporal arteritis, or renal artery stenosis.
- 15. The method of claim 1, wherein, prior to administration of said rifamycin, said patient is diagnosed as having said atherosclerosis-associated disease.
- 16. The method of claim 1, wherein said patient has not been diagnosed as having a bacterial infection.
- 17. A method of reducing the level of C-reactive protein in a patient identified as having increased levels of C-reactive protein, said method comprising administering to said patient a rifamycin in an amount sufficient to reduce the level of C-reactive protein.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein said method further comprises the step of periodically monitoring the level of C-reactive protein in said patient following administration of said rifamycin.
- 19. The method of claim 17, wherein said patient has not been diagnosed as having a bacterial infection.
- 20. A method for reducing Chlamydia pneumoniae replication in macrophages or foam cells in a patient in need thereof, said method comprising administering a rifamycin to said patient in an amount effective to reduce Chlamydia pneumoniae replication in macrophages or foam cells in said patient.
- 21. A method for treating a persistent Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in macrophages or foam cells in a patient, said method comprising administering a rifamycin to said patient in an amount effective to treat said Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in macrophages or foam cells in said patient.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. provisional application, U.S.S.N. 60/433,379, filed Dec. 12, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60433379 |
Dec 2002 |
US |