Skip Navigation

European Heart Journal 1999 20(22):1676-1680; doi:10.1053/euhj.1999.1689
Copyright © 1999 by the European Society of Cardiology.
This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (25)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Jeserich, M.
Right arrow Articles by Solzbach, U.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Jeserich, M.
Right arrow Articles by Solzbach, U.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Vitamin C improves endothelial function of epicardial coronary arteries in patients with hypercholesterolaemia or essential hypertension—assessed by cold pressor testing

M. Jesericha,f1, T. Schindlera, M. Olschewskib, M. Unmüssiga, H. Justa and U. Solzbacha

a Medizinische Klinik III, Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
b Medizinische Biometrie und Informatik, Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

revised May 7, 1999; accepted May 12, 1999

Abstract

Aims There is evidence that formation of free radicals increases in patients with hypertension or hypercholesterolaemia, which may contribute to endothelial dysfunction of epicardial coronary arteries due to inactivation of the vasodilator NO. The present study was designed to test whether the abnormal constriction of epicardial coronary arteries due to sympathetic stimulation by the cold pressor test in patients with essential hypertension or hypercholesterolaemia could be reversed by administration of the antioxidant vitamin C.

Methods and Results In 28 patients without relevant coronary artery stenosis the cold pressor test was performed before and after a 3g infusion of vitamin C. In five normal controls the cold pressor test led to a similar increase in luminal area before and after vitamin C (3·7±1·3% and 1·9±0·8%, ns vs before vitamin C). In nine hypercholesterolaemic patients the cold pressor test led to a –14·1±2·8% reduction in cross-sectional area before vitamin C. This constriction was significantly improved after vitamin C to –7·6%±2·0, P=0·027 vs before vitamin C. In nine hypertensive patients, the cold pressor test led to a –17·1±3·2% decrease in cross-sectional area before vitamin C, which was improved to –7·1±3·1 after vitamin C, P=0·004 vs before vitamin C. This increase in luminal area was significant in each group in comparison with normal controls (each P<0·05). Administration of saline (placebo group, five patients) had no significant effect on cold pressor test-induced constriction (–6·9±3·9% before and –6·8±3·7% after saline).

Conclusion The antioxidant vitamin C reverses cold pressor test-induced vasoconstriction of epicardial coronary arteries in patients with hypertension or hypercholesterolaemia. Our data suggest that enhanced oxidative stress contributes to impaired endothelial function in this patient population.

Key Words: Cold pressor test, endothelium, antioxidant vitamin C

f1 Correspondence: Michael Jeserich, Praxis Dr Haggenmiller und Dr Jeserich, Königstr. 39, 90402 Nürnberg, Germany.

References

  1. Furchgott RF, Zawadzki JV. The obligatory role of endothelial cells in the relaxation of arterial smooth muscle by acetylcholine. Nature. 1980;288:373–376[CrossRef][Medline]
  2. Treasure CB, Manoukian SV, Klein JL. Epicardial coronary artery responses to acetylcholine are impaired in hypertensive patients. Circ Res. 1992;71:776–781[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  3. Zeiher AM, Drexler H, Wollschläger H, Just H. Modulation of coronary vasomotor tone in humans. Progressive endothelial dysfunction with different early stages of coronary atherosclerosis. Circulation. 1991;83:391–401[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  4. Nabel EG, Ganz P, Gordon JB, Alexander RW, Selwyn AP. Dilation of normal and constriction of atherosclerotic coronary arteries caused by the cold pressor test. Circulation. 1988;77:43–52[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  5. Zeiher AM, Drexler H, Wollschläger H, Saurbier B, Just H. Coronary vasomotion in response to sympathetic stimulation in humans: Importance of the functional integrity of the endothelium. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1989;14:1181–1190[Abstract]
  6. Wang HD, Pagano PJ, Du Y. Superoxide anion from the adventitia of the rat thoracic aorta inactivates nitric oxide. Circ Res. 1998;82:810–818[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  7. Chin JH, Azhar S, Hoffmann BB. Inactivation of endothelium-derived relaxing factor by oxidized lipoproteins. J Clin Invest. 1992;89:10–18[ISI][Medline]
  8. Frei B, England L, Ames BN. Ascorbate is an outstanding antioxidant in human blood plasma. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1989;86:6377–6381[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  9. Wollschläger H, Lee P, Zeiher AM, Solzbach U, Bonzel T, Just H. Improvement of quantitative angiography by exact calculation of radiological magnification factors. Computers in Cardiology. Washington: IEEE Computer Society; 1985. p. 483–6
  10. Robertson D, Johnson GA, Robertson RM, Nies AS, Shand DG, Oates JA. Comparative assessment of stimuli that release neuronal and adrenomedullary catecholamines in man. Circulation. 1979;59:637–643[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  11. Fleming I, Bauersachs J, Fisslthaler B, Busse R. Ca2+-independent activation of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase in response to tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors and fluid shear stress. Circ Res. 1998;82:686–695[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  12. Solzbach U, Hornig B, Jeserich M, Just H. Vitamin C improves abnormal endothelium-dependent coronary artery vasodilator function in hypertensive patients. Circulation. 1997;96:1513–1519[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  13. Dohi Y, Hahn AWA, Boulanger CM, Bühler FR, Lüscher TF. Endothelin stimulated by angiotensin II augments contractility of spontaneously hypertensive rat resistance arteries. Hypertension. 1992;19:131–137[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  14. Küng CF, Lüscher TF. Different mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction with aging and hypertension in rat aorta. Hypertension. 1995;25:194–200[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  15. Griendling KK, Minieri CA, Ollerenshaw JD, Alexander RW. Angiotensin II stimulates NADH and NADPH oxidase activity in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. Circ Res. 1994;74:1141–1148[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  16. Hishikawa K, Lüscher TF. Pulsatile stretch stimulates superoxide production in human aortic endothelial cells. Circulation. 1997;96:3610–3616[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  17. Freeman JE, Kuo WY, Drenger B, Barnett TN, Levine MA, Flavahan NA. Analysis of lysophosphatidylcholine-induced endothelial dysfunction. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 1996;28:345–352[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
  18. Cooke JP, Dzau VJ. Derangements of the nitric oxide synthase pathway, L-arginine and cardiovascular disease. Circulation. 1997;96:379–382
  19. Beckman JS, Koppenol WH. Nitric oxide, superoxide and peroxynitrite: the good, the bad and the ugly. Am J Physiol. 1996;271:C1424–1437
  20. Nunes GL, Robinson K, Kalynych A, King SB, Sgoutas DS, Berk BC. Vitamin C and E inhibit O2–production in the pig coronary artery. Circulation. 1997;96:3593–3601[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  21. Heitzer T, Just H, Münzel Th. Antioxidant vitamin C improves endothelial dyusfunction in chronic smokers. Circulation. 1996;94:6–9[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  22. Ting HH, Timimi FK, Boles KS, Creager SJ, Ganz P, Creager MA. Vitamin C improves endothelium-dependent vasodilation in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. J Clin Invest. 1996;97:22–28[ISI][Medline]
  23. Timimi FK, Ting HH, Haley EA, Roddy M-A, Ganz P, Creager MA. Vitamin C improves endothelium-dependent vasodilation in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1998;31:552–557[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  24. Levine GN, Frei B, Koulouris SN, Gerhard MD, Keaney JF, Vita JA. Ascorbic acid reverses endothelial vasomotor dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease. Circulation. 1996;93:1107–1113[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  25. Schindler Th, Nitzsche E, Jeserich M, Mix M, Nageleisen M, Olschewski M, Solzbach U, Just H. Ascorbic acid improves endothelial dysfunction in coronary microcirculation in hypertensive patients in a 3 months follow-up. Circulation. 1998;:I–175

Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Eur Heart JHome page
T. S. Nawrot, J. A. Staessen, H. A. Roels, E. Den Hond, L. Thijs, R. H. Fagard, A. F. Dominiczak, and H. A. Struijker-Boudier
Blood pressure and blood selenium: a cross-sectional and longitudinal population study
Eur. Heart J., March 1, 2007; 28(5): 628 - 633.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 HypertensionHome page
I. H. Zucker
Novel Mechanisms of Sympathetic Regulation in Chronic Heart Failure
Hypertension, December 1, 2006; 48(6): 1005 - 1011.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
C. Bell, P. P. Jones, and D. R. Seals
Oxidative Stress Does Not Modulate Metabolic Rate or Skeletal Muscle Sympathetic Activity with Primary Aging in Adult Humans
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., October 1, 2003; 88(10): 4950 - 4954.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 HypertensionHome page
X. Chen, R. M. Touyz, J. B. Park, and E. L. Schiffrin
Antioxidant Effects of Vitamins C and E Are Associated With Altered Activation of Vascular NADPH Oxidase and Superoxide Dismutase in Stroke-Prone SHR
Hypertension, September 1, 2001; 38(3): 606 - 611.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Eur Heart JHome page
C.R. Conti
Vitamin C and coronary vasoreactivity
Eur. Heart J., November 2, 1999; 20(22): 1615 - 1617.
[PDF]

This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (25)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Jeserich, M.
Right arrow Articles by Solzbach, U.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Jeserich, M.
Right arrow Articles by Solzbach, U.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?