title: Cardiovascular diseases and nitric oxide in humans.
abstract: The production of nitric oxide is impaired in patients with clinical and instrumental signs of arteriosclerosis (chronic coronary heart disease, stable and unstable angina, myocardial infarction); the NO deficiency is assessed through the vascular response to the infusion of stimulating (acetycholine) or inhibiting (N-mono-methylarginine) substances upon NO synthesis. Also in hypertensive subjects a weak endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation was documented, but this phenomenon is not constant and is still to be confirmed. In hypercholesterolemic patients a hyporesponsive endothelium-dependent vasodilation has been well documented, lipid lowering agents (drugs, apheresis) improve endothelium function. In heart failure low NO levels are found proportionally to the severity of disease: the expression of No is depressed, but cytokine mediated i NOS expression is enhanced, causing exaggerated amounts of NO and producing myocyte damage or death. Interesting findings indicated NO inhalation as a useful tool for reducing pulmonary hypertension and congestive heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Chair of Internal Medicine, Garibaldi Hospital, University of Catania, Catania.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferlito
mesh_terms: D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000209:etiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide