PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Endothelial dysfunction is a disordered function of very small coronary vessels that cannot be seen by angiograms done during cardiac catheterization. The impairment of endothelial function is the primary etiology implicated in the origin and development of atherosclerosis. In a prospective study of 2264 post-menopausal women, endothelial function was measured by utilizing the noninvasive measurement of the brachial artery flow characteristics. When added to age and other conventional cardiovascular risk factors (smoking habits, presence of hypercholesterolemia, history of diabetes, hypertension), endothelial dysfunction contributed significantly to predicting heart risk. {Journal of the American College of Cardiology, V. 51, No. 10 (11 March 2008), pp. 997-1002}. L-arginine, an amino acid, promotes healthy blood vessels by its antioxidant properties and reducing endothelial dysfunction.(a)
