Nitric oxide--angiotensin II axis in renal and cardiovascular injury.

The knowledge and the information about Renin Angiotensin System and Arginine-Nitric Oxide pathway helped us in understanding more about cardiac, vascular and renal systems, their function, the physiology, and pathophysiology of different diseases that may affect them. The existence of a Nitric Oxide/Angiotensin II axis, brought modification to our ways of thinking with new and more pathophysiological approaches to the treatment of hypertension and end-organ disease. There appears to be a link between hypertension, salt sensitivity, endothelial function and NO-AnglI axis on one side and end organ damage on the other side. Anti-hypertensive agents that can restore endothelial function beside their antihypertensive effect, may be better in preventing or at least slowing end-organ damage.