Figure 5.

(A) Maximal ACh-induced relaxation responses of aortic rings from untreated rabbits (n = 6); vitamin D₂ group (n = 13); and vitamin D₂/ramipril group (n = 15). Maximal relaxation responses to ACh in untreated rabbits were 76.0 ± 1.5%. Relaxation was significantly greater in the vitamin D₂/ramipril group versus the vitamin D₂ alone group (P = 0.02). (B) Negative correlations between AV_BS and maximum ACh-induced vasorelaxation (r² = 0.7 and r² = 0.9, respectively, P < 0.001 for both). AV_BS, aortic valve backscatter score.