Effect of external counterpulsation on plasma nitric oxide and endothelin-1 levels.

Full Abstract

Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) significantly augments diastolic blood flow and has been postulated to improve endothelial function by increased shear stress. We examined the effects of EECP on plasma nitric oxide and endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels. Plasma nitrate and nitrite (NOx) and ET-1 levels were measured serially in 13 patients with coronary artery disease who received 1-hour daily treatments of EECP over 6 weeks. During the course of EECP therapy, plasma NOx progressively increased and plasma ET-1 progressively decreased. After 36 hours of EECP, there was a 62 +/- 17% increase in plasma NOx compared with baseline (43.6 +/- 4.3 vs 27.1 +/- 2.6 micromol/L, p <0.0001) and a 36 +/- 8% decrease in plasma ET-1 (76.7 +/- 9.5 vs 119.5 +/- 8.5 pg/L, p <0.0001). At 3 months after completion of EECP, NOx remained 12 +/- 11% above baseline (p = 0.002), and ET-1 remained 11 +/- 10% below baseline (p = 0.0068). Our data provides neurohormonal evidence to support the hypothesis that EECP improves endothelial function.

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Author information

Author/s: Akhtar, Mateen (M); Wu, Gui-Fu (GF); Du, Zhi-Min (ZM); Zheng, Zhen-Sheng (ZS); Michaels, Andrew D (AD);

Affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California at San Francisco Medical Center, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: The American journal of cardiology (Am J Cardiol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Jul; vol 98 (issue 1) : pp 28-30

Dates: Created 2006/06/20; Completed 2006/08/03; Revised 2007/11/15;

PMID: 16784915, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Coronary Artery Disease - blood; therapy
Coronary Circulation - physiology
Coronary Vessels - pathology
Counterpulsation - methods
Endothelin-1 - blood
Female

Female
Humans
Male
Myocardial Ischemia - therapy
Nitric Oxide - blood
Oxygen
Treatment Outcome

Associated Chemicals: Endothelin-1 (0) ; Nitric Oxide (10102-43-9) ; Oxygen (7782-44-7)

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