Complementary Alternative Cardiovascular Medicine

104 Alternative Cardiovascular Medicine
in 16 patients with heart failure (9). This may suggest a role for L-arginine
therapy as a potential NO substrate donor. Bocchi et al. (10) demonstrated
the effect of L-arginine on hemodynamics in seven patients
with CHF. L-arginine did not improve the left ventricular contractility.
However, cardiac performance was improved by reduction in blood
pressure and systemic vascular resistance, with concomitant increases in
the right atrial pressure, stroke volume, and cardiac output. In another
group of 15 patients with heart failure, oral L-arginine supplementation
resulted in improved functional status, which was indicated by increased
walking distance and lower score on the living with heart failure
questionnaire (11). Koifman et al. (12) reported the same hemodynamic
responses in 12 patients with CHF (ejection fraction [EF]