SPECIAL ARTICLE - NONINVASIVE MEASUREMENT OF ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION

1. Endothelial dysfunction, due to reductions in nitric oxide (NO) act ion, is an early feature of macrovascular disease. 2. Non-invasive mea surement of endothelial function may be assessed by postischaemic dila tation of forearm vessels, using plethysmography, or flow-mediated dil atation of the brachial artery, using ultrasound. 3. Brachial flow-med iated dilatation reflects NO release and/or action more than forearm h yperaemia. 4. These techniques have been used as surrogate measures of coronary endothelial function. 5. Methodological, physiological and c linical aspects of the techniques are discussed.