CARDIOMYOPATHY - A ROLE FOR NITRIC-OXIDE

The negative inotropism, myocardial dilatation and cytotoxicity in inf lammatory heart disorders may be due to increased generation of nitric oxide (NO) by immunological induction of a high output NO pathway. Th is short review discusses the initial experiments which lead to this h ypothesis, and evaluates data that this pathway exists in animal and h uman cardiomyopathic disorders. It is proposed that manipulation of th is pathway may prove to be beneficial in patients with these disorders .