Therapeutic treatments using botulinum neurotoxin

Abstract

Methods for treating a coronary risk factor (such as hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and obesity) and/or a respiratory disorder (such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchitis) and/or arthritis by local administration of a botulinum neurotoxin to at least one of a head, neck or shoulder location (for example, by subdermal, subcutaneous or intramuscular administration of the botulinum neurotoxin) of a patient with a coronary risk factor, respiratory disorder or arthritis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for treating a respiratory disorder in a patient in need thereof, the method comprising the step of administering a botulinum toxin to at least one of a head, neck or shoulder location of the patient with a respiratory disorder, thereby alleviating at least one symptom of the respiratory disorder and treating the respiratory disorder of the patient. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the botulinum toxin is selected from the group consisting of botulinum toxins types A, B, C 1 , D, E, F and G. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the botulinum toxin is a botulinum toxin type A. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the respiratory disorder is selected from the group consisting of asthma, bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the administration step is carried out by intramuscular administration of the botulinum toxin to a muscle at the at least one of the head, neck or shoulder location of the patient. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the patient also has a headache. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the patient also has a headache selected from the group consisting of a tension headache, a migraine headache, an episodic migraine, a chronic migraine, a cluster headache, a sinus headache, a chronic progressive headache, a hormone headache and a cervogenic headache. 
     
     
         8 . A method for treating a coronary risk factor in a patient in need thereof, the method comprising the step of administering a botulinum toxin to at least one of a head, neck or shoulder location of the patient with the coronary risk factor, thereby treating the coronary risk factor. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the coronary risk factor is selected from the group consisting of hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and obesity. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the botulinum toxin is a botulinum toxin type A or B and is administered to a muscle selected from the group consisting of a frontalis muscle, a glabellar muscle, an occipitalis muscle, a temporalis muscle, a masseter muscle, a trapezius muscle, a semispinalis muscle and a splenius capitis muscle. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the administration is intramuscular or subdermal and the patient suffers from headaches. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein headaches suffered by the patient are migraine headaches and are experienced by the patient at least 15 days per month. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein headaches suffered by the patient are migraine headaches and are experienced by the patient at between 0 to eight days per month. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the botulinum is a botulinum toxin type A and is administered in an amount from about 10 −3  U/kg to about 35 U/kg of patient weight.