Open AccessAcute Effects of an Oral Nitric Oxide Supplement on Blood Pressure, Endothelial Function, and Vascular Compliance in Hypertensive Patients
Author(s) -
Houston Mark,
Hays Laurie
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the journal of clinical hypertension
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1751-7176
pISSN - 1524-6175
DOI - 10.1111/jch.12352
Subject(s) - medicine , blood pressure , placebo , nitric oxide , compliance (psychology) , crossover study , diastole , oral administration , endothelial dysfunction , cardiology , anesthesia , pathology , psychology , social psychology , alternative medicine
This blinded placebo‐controlled crossover study evaluated the acute effects of an orally disintegrating lozenge that generates nitric oxide ( NO ) in the oral cavity on blood pressure ( BP ) response, endothelial function, and vascular compliance in unmedicated hypertensive patients. Thirty patients with clinical hypertension were recruited and enrolled in a blinded placebo‐controlled clinical trial in an outpatient setting. Average baseline BP in 30 patients was 144±3/91±1 mm Hg. NO supplementation resulted in a significant decrease of 4 mm Hg in resting systolic BP ( P <.003) and a significant decrease of 5 mm Hg in diastolic BP ( P <.002) from baseline and placebo after 20 minutes. In addition, there was a further statistically significant reduction by 6 mm Hg in both systolic and diastolic pressure after 60 minutes ( P <.0001 vs baseline). After a half hour of a single dose, there was a significant improvement in vascular compliance as measured by augmentation index and, after 4 hours, a statistically significant improvement in endothelial function as measured by the EndoPAT (Itamar Medical, Franklin, MA). A single administration of an oral active NO supplement appears to acutely lower BP, improve vascular compliance, and restore endothelial function in patients with hypertension.