Objective(s): Pathophysiology of sepsis-associated renal failure (one of the most common cause of death in intensive care units) had not been fully determined. The effect of nitric oxide and protein kinase C (PKC) pathways in isolated kidney of Lipopolysaccharide-treated (LPS) rats were investigated in this study. Materials and Methods: Vascular responsiveness to phenylephrine and acetylcholine...

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of new born (PPHN) is associated with mortality and morbidity; it may be idiopathic or secondary to a number of conditions. The mainstay of diagnosis and to exclude structural abnormalities is echocardiography. Brain type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels are elevated in PPHN, but are insufficiently sensitive to contribute to routine diagnosis. Management includ...

Oral treatment with indapamide was found to reduce blood pressure of hypertensive rats but not of normotensive rats. Chronic indomethacin treatment had no effect on blood pressure of untreated normotensive and hypertensive rats. Also indomethacin did not modify the antihypertensive effect of indapamide excluding the direct involvement of PGs in the antihypertensive effect of indapamide. Vascula...

Raynaud phenomenon is an overactive vascular response to cold and emotional stress that results in cutaneous color changes and sensory symptoms in the digits. It can be idiopathic (primary) or secondary to another condition; the latter can be more severe and more apt to lead to ischemic complications such as digital ulceration and even loss of digits. If nonpharmacologic interventions prove ina...

The endothelium releases the powerful vasodilator and antiaggregatory substance, EDRF, both under basal conditions and upon stimulation by a wide variety of agents. Endothelial injury or dysfunction may play an important role in the spasmogenicity of the coronary artery, although other possible alterations related to atherosclerosis should also be considered. Among the possible stimuli, aggrega...

Vitamin C (vitC) deficiency is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk, but its specific interplay with arteriolar function is unclear. This study investigates the effect of vitC deficiency in guinea pigs on plasma biopterin status and the vasomotor responses in coronary arteries exposed to vasoconstrictor/-dilator agents. Dunkin Hartley female guinea pigs (n = 32) were randomized...

Nitric oxide (NO) is produced continuously from the endothelium and plays a pivotal role in the control of vascular tone. Many of the current therapeutic agents that increase blood flow through production of NO have to be taken orally and can produce significant adverse side effects. We now report on some novel NO-donor drugs, based on thiosugars that generate NO spontaneously. From the range o...

We investigated water drinking and arterial blood pressure responses to intravenous infusions of ANG II in young (4 mo), middle-aged adult (12 mo), and old (29 mo) male Brown Norway rats. Infusions of ANG II began with arterial blood pressure either at control levels or at reduced levels following injection of the vasodilator minoxidil. Under control conditions, mean arterial pressure (MAP) in ...