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Abstract
Advances in the understanding of nitric oxide as a biological mediator and a therapeutic
tool continue to accumulate at a rapid rate. This review provides an update on recent
developments pertinent to the role of nitric oxide in adult lung disease. After a
brief review of basic nitric oxide biochemistry and physiology, the evidence supporting
the role of nitric oxide in the regulation of vascular and airway tone in the normal
lung is considered. Clinical studies addressing the pathophysiological role of nitric
oxide in pulmonary hypertension, airway disease, and lung injury are reviewed, and
the application of inhaled nitric oxide therapy is discussed.