Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors reveal non-NO-, non-prostacycline-mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation in internal thoracic artery of hypertensive patients

The results suggest that therapy with ACE-I improves endothelial function of hypertensive patients mainly by enhancing the endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) (and not NO)-mediated responses. It seems that it reveals measurable non-NO- non-PGI-mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation otherwise absent in conduit arteries.