title: Sustained hypertension in the rat induced by chronic blockade of nitric oxide production.
abstract: It is well established that acute systemic blockage of L-arginine conversion to nitric oxide by NW-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and other substituted analogs of L-arginine produces vasoconstriction and elevates the blood pressure. The present study in rats reports that chronic L-NAME injections (185 mumol/L/kg body weight, intraperitoneally; every 12 h) for 4 days produces sustained arterial hypertension which is fully and rapidly reversed by acute administration of excess L-arginine. The magnitude of the hypertension is not different between L-NAME treated rats fed normal or high sodium diets. The results from this simple experimental model suggest that chronic blockade of nitric oxide synthesis results in sustained arterial hypertension that is not enhanced by sodium loading.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia 65212.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Freeman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight; D006973:Hypertension / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D012964:Sodium; D012083:Renin; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester