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Related Experiment Videos

Does nitric oxide buffer arterial blood pressure variability in humans?

William H Cooke1, Rong Zhang, Julie H Zuckerman

  • 1Department of Biomedical Engineering and Biological Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan 49931, USA.

Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985)
|September 18, 2002
PubMed
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Nitric oxide (NO) helps maintain steady blood pressure but does not buffer short-term arterial pressure variability in humans. Blocking NO synthase increased blood pressure but did not alter BP variability during head-up tilt.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Autonomic Nervous System Function
  • Nitric Oxide Biology

Background:

  • Animal studies suggest nitric oxide (NO) regulates arterial pressure variability.
  • Human data on NO's role in buffering blood pressure (BP) oscillations are limited.
  • Understanding NO's function is crucial for managing cardiovascular dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition on arterial BP variability in humans.
  • To assess NO's role in buffering BP oscillations under supine and head-up tilt conditions.
  • To determine if NO influences autonomic cardiovascular regulation.

Main Methods:

  • Eight healthy subjects underwent systemic NOS inhibition using N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) infusion.
Keywords:
Non-programmatic

Related Experiment Videos

  • Beat-by-beat BP and ECG were recorded in supine and 60-degree head-up tilt (HUT) positions.
  • Power spectral analysis quantified BP and R-R interval variability in low (LF) and high (HF) frequency ranges.

    • Main Results:

    • L-NMMA increased supine systolic and diastolic BP but did not affect supine BP or R-R interval variability.
    • HUT decreased HF R-R variability and transfer function gain, and increased LF BP variability, irrespective of L-NMMA.
    • NO inhibition did not alter the dynamic changes in BP variability during HUT.

    Conclusions:

    • Tonic release of NO is essential for maintaining systemic vascular tone and steady-state arterial pressure in humans.
    • NO does not appear to buffer short-term, dynamic arterial pressure oscillations in humans.
    • Findings differentiate NO's role in steady-state BP regulation versus BP variability buffering.