Effects of continued NO inhibition on portal hypertensive syndrome after portal vein stenosis in rat

inhibition on portal hypertensive syndrome after portal vein stenosis in rat. Am. J. Physiol. 267 (Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 30): G984-G990, 1994.-The present study investi-gated whether chronic nitric oxide (NO) inhibition prevents the hyperdynamic circulatory syndrome that appears in rats after partial portal vein ligation (PPVL). NW-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 30 pg. kg-l l rein-l, n = 17), a NO biosynthesis inhibitor, or vehicle (n = 17) was infused continu-ously from PPVL through subcutaneously osmotic pumps. Studies were performed, in ketamine-anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats, in one-half of the animals at 4 days and in the remaining one-half at 8 days from PPVL. At 4 days, PPVL rats treated with L-NAME had higher mean arterial pressure (MAP), systemic vascular resistance (SVR), and splanchnic arteriolar resistance (SAR) and lower cardiac output an