Table 2.

Summary of key cardiovascular end points in mRen2.Lewis rats after OVX and OVX + 4 wk of nNOS inhibition or BH₄ supplementation

	Estrogen Loss (OVX)	Estrogen Loss and nNOS Inhibition	Estrogen Loss and BH4 Treatment
Hypertension	↑↑↑	↑↑	↑↑↑
BH4:BH2	↓	↓	↑ biopterins
Cardiac ROS	↑	↓	↓
Cardiac NO	↓	↓	↑
Fibrosis	↑	↓	↓
Diastolic function	Moderately reduced	Preserved	Preserved

Treatment was initiated at 11 wk of age after the establishment of overt hypertension (63, 64). OVX, ovariectomy; nNOS, neuronal nitric oxide (NO) synthase; BH₄, tetrahydrobiopterin; BH₂, dihydrobiopterin.