Abstract
The vascular endothelium is not just a simple layer of cells that interposes a physical barrier between the underlying vascular smooth muscle and the circulating blood. It plays a major role in the modulation of vascular tone and platelet function through synthesis and release of paracrine factors, namely the arachidonic acid metabolites, prostacyclin, and thromboxane A2, and the non-prostanoid endothelim-derived vasoactive factors, nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin [1,2]. This chapter will present recent evidence demonstrating the importance of NO in the modulation of pulmonary vascular tone in animals and humans. Putative mechanism(s) underlying the impaired NO release and/or activity in chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension will then be discussed. Finally, preliminary data of clinical trials using NO as a therapeutical gas in certain categories of patients with pulmonary hypertension will also be reviewed.
Published Version
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