Nitric Oxide Synthesis and Congestive Heart Failure

Abstract

Because body weights were not reported, we assumed that the nitrate volume of distribution was 37 liters2 ; however, this figure probably underestimates the actual total body water in patients with CHF. Because the urine was collected for 24 hours, ≈62.5% (1.5 half-lives) of urinary [15N]nitrate was recovered in patients with CHF compared with 80% (2.6 half-lives) in the control group. It is likely that these dissimilar recoveries of [15N]nitrate could have had an important contribution to the observed difference of nitric oxide production. Third, the authors stated: “in agreement with a previous study in hypertensive patients that used similar isotope-labeling techniques,5 urinary nitrate excretion of [15N]nitrate was completed …