Figure 4.

Sodium nitroprusside (SNP)– and acetylcholine (ACh)‐mediated aortic vasorelaxation. SNP‐ and ACh‐mediated vasorelaxation of isolated aortic vascular rings at 8 and 12 weeks after myocardial ischemia/reperfusion/ (ie, 4 and 8 weeks of valsartan or sacubitril/valsartan [also known as LCZ696] therapy). A, Dose‐response curve to SNP administration at 8 weeks with nonlinear curve fitted. B, EC ₅₀ for SNP‐mediated vasorelaxation at 8 weeks. C, Dose‐response curve to SNP administration at 12 weeks with nonlinear curve fitted. D, EC ₅₀ for SNP‐mediated vasorelaxation at 12 weeks. E, Maximal relaxation response to SNP at 8 and 12 weeks. F, Concentration‐response curve to ACh administration at 8 weeks with nonlinear curve fitted. G, EC ₅₀ for ACh‐mediated vasorelaxation at 8 weeks. H, Concentration‐response curve to ACh administration at 12 weeks with nonlinear curve fitted. I, EC ₅₀ for ACh‐mediated vasorelaxation at 12 weeks. J, Maximal relaxation response to ACh at 8 and 12 weeks. The number of animals in each group is shown in white circles within their respective columns. NS indicates not significant. Key: ^ indicates a significant difference between vehicle and valsartan; *, a difference between vehicle and sacubitril/valsartan; #, a difference between valsartan and sacubitril/valsartan; single notation, P<0.05; double notation, P<0.01.