Endothelium-derived nitric oxide mediates hypoxic vasodilation of resistance vessels in humans

1996 ◽  
Vol 271 (3) ◽  
pp. H1182-H1185 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. L. Blitzer ◽  
S. D. Lee ◽  
M. A. Creager
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Blood Flow ◽  
Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Vascular Resistance ◽  
Forearm Blood Flow ◽  
Vasodilator Response ◽  
Healthy Humans ◽  
Resistance Vessels ◽  
Oxide Synthase ◽  
Forearm Vascular Resistance

Endothelium-derived nitric oxide (EDNO) contributes to basal systemic vascular resistance under normoxic conditions. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether EDNO contributes to the regulation of limb vascular resistance during hypoxia in healthy humans. Forearm blood flow was assessed by venous occlusion plethysmography. Hypoxia was induced by delivering a mixture of N2 and O2 via a gas blender adjusted to reduce the PO2 to 50 mmHg. During hypoxia, forearm blood flow increased from 2.4 +/- 0.2 to 3.0 +/- 0.3 ml.100 ml-1.min-1 (P < 0.001), and forearm vascular resistance decreased from 38 +/- 3 to 29 +/- 3 units (P < 0.001). The nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA, 2,000 micrograms/min intra-arterially) was administered to eight subjects. The percent increase in forearm vascular resistance after administration of L-NMMA was greater during hypoxia than normoxia (67 +/- 14 vs. 39 +/- 15%, P < 0.05). L-NMMA reduced the forearm vasodilator response to hypoxia from 27 +/- 3 to 11 +/- 5% (P = 0.01). To exclude the possibility that this attenuated response to hypoxia was a consequence of vasoconstriction and not specific for nitric oxide synthase inhibition, six subjects received intra-arterial phenylephrine. Phenylephrine did not affect the vasodilator response to hypoxia (17 +/- 3 vs. 21 +/- 6%, P = NS). It is concluded that EDNO contributes to hypoxia-induced vasodilation in the forearm resistance vessels in healthy humans.

Beneficial effect of vitamin E administration on nitric oxide function in subjects with hypercholesterolaemia

1998 ◽  
Vol 95 (3) ◽  
pp. 361-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel GREEN ◽  
Gerry O'DRISCOLL ◽  
James M. RANKIN ◽  
Andrew J. MAIORANA ◽  
Roger R. TAYLOR
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Blood Flow ◽  
Vitamin E ◽  
Endothelial Function ◽  
Sodium Nitroprusside ◽  
Vascular Resistance ◽  
Forearm Blood Flow ◽  
Elevated Serum ◽  
Tocopherol Concentration ◽  
Forearm Vascular Resistance

1.Vitamin E administration improves endothelial function in hypercholesterolaemic animals but, generally, has not been found to do so in man. The aim of this study was to determine whether vitamin E administration improves basal or stimulated function of the nitric oxide (·NO) dilator system in patients with hypercholesterolaemia. 2.Seven subjects aged 47±3 (±S.E.M.) years with moderately elevated serum cholesterol concentrations (6.0±0.1 ;mmol/l) were given 4 weeks of placebo therapy followed by 500 i.u. of vitamin E twice daily for 4 weeks. Endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilatation were assessed by intrabrachial infusion of acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside, and forearm blood flow was measured by strain-gauge plethysmography. Basal ·NO function was assessed by infusion of NG-monomethyl-l-arginine. 3.Plasma α-tocopherol concentration was enhanced after administration of vitamin E (34.6±1.8 to 86.9±9.6 ;μmol/l; P< 0.001). In addition, vitamin E administration significantly increased acetylcholine-mediated vasodilatation whether the results were expressed in terms of changes in absolute forearm blood flow (P< 0.01), forearm vascular resistance (P< 0.05) or forearm blood flow ratios (P< 0.001). Similarly, absolute forearm blood flow (P< 0.05), forearm vascular resistance (P< 0.01) and forearm blood flow ratio (P< 0.01) responses to NG-monomethyl-l-arginine were augmented by vitamin E therapy. Sodium nitroprusside responses were unaltered. 4.These results indicate that 4 weeks therapy with 1000 i.u. of vitamin E daily improves basal and stimulated ·NO-related endothelial function in subjects with hypercholesterolaemia.

Enhanced endothelium-dependent vasodilation in patients with cirrhosis

1995 ◽  
Vol 268 (3) ◽  
pp. G459-G464 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Albillos ◽  
I. Rossi ◽  
G. Cacho ◽  
M. V. Martinez ◽  
I. Millan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Blood Flow ◽  
Portal Hypertension ◽  
Mean Arterial Pressure ◽  
Forearm Blood Flow ◽  
Peripheral Vasodilation ◽  
Basal Serum ◽  
Resistance Vessels ◽  
Cirrhotic Patients ◽  
Forearm Vascular Resistance

Experimental evidence indicates that an increased production of nitric oxide could play a role in the peripheral vasodilation of portal hypertension. To test this hypothesis in humans, we studied basal serum NO(2-) + NO3- levels and the response of forearm resistance vessels to increasing concentrations of methacholine chloride, sodium nitroprusside, and phenylephrine infused into the brachial artery of 12 cirrhotic patients and 10 controls. Forearm vascular resistance (FVR) was calculated from mean arterial pressure and forearm blood flow (FBF). Cirrhotics showed higher NO(2-) + NO3- levels (P < 0.05), higher FBF (P < 0.01), and lower FVR (P < 0.01) than controls. The reduction of FVR in response to every dose of methacholine was greater in cirrhotics than in controls; this was significant (P < 0.05) at the 3 and 10 micrograms/min doses. This response to methacholine was not modified by blockade of vascular prostacyclin. The response to nitroprusside was similar in both groups. The increase in FVR in response to every dose of phenylephrine was significantly (P < 0.01) lower in cirrhotics than in controls. In cirrhotics, a significant correlation (r = -0.81, P < 0.01) was found between the FVR response to the highest doses of methacholine and phenylephrine. In conclusion, cirrhotic patients show an enhanced endothelium-mediated vasodilation, which suggests an increased synthesis of nitric oxide. This defect may mediate the peripheral vasodilation and hyporeactivity to vasopressors of these patients.

Nitric oxide synthase inhibition in healthy adults reduces regional and total cerebral macrovascular blood flow and microvascular perfusion

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrina J. Carter ◽  
Aaron T. Ward ◽  
J. Mikhail Kellawan ◽  
Marlowe W. Eldridge ◽  
Awni Al‐Subu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Blood Flow ◽  
Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Healthy Adults ◽  
Microvascular Perfusion ◽  
Oxide Synthase

Forearm and finger blood flow responses to passive body tilts

1979 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 288-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. A. Mengesha ◽  
G. H. Bell
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Blood Flow ◽  
Arterial Blood Pressure ◽  
Vascular Resistance ◽  
Pulse Rate ◽  
Forearm Blood Flow ◽  
Body Tilt ◽  
Finger Blood Flow ◽  
Arterial Blood ◽  
Forearm Vascular Resistance

Ten to fifteen healthy subjects, ages 18--30 yr, were used to assess the correlation of forearm blood flow with graded passive body tilts and vascular resistance and also to discern the relative effects of body tilts on finger blood flow. In the head-up tilts forearm blood flow and arterial blood pressure fell progressively, whereas forearm vascular resistance and pulse rate increased. In the head-down tilts the forearm blood flow and the arterial blood pressure increased, whereas the forearm vascular resistance and pulse rate decreased. These changes were found to be significantly correlated with the different tilt angles and with one another. In a preliminary study it was found that infrared heating of the carpometacarpal region produced finger vasodilatation similar to the forearm vasodilatation observed by Crockford and Hellon (6). However, unlike forearm blood flow, finger blood flow showed no appreciable response to either the head-up or head-down tilts. This indicates that the sympathetic tone and the volume of blood in the finger are not appreciably altered by this test procedure at least 1 min after the body tilt is assumed.

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