Vascular Dysfunction in Human Obesity Hypertension

Exclusion Criteria

• •Systolic blood pressure \>/=180 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure \>110 mmHg
• •History of cardiovascular disease such as heart angioplasty/stent or bypass surgery, myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure with or without left ventricular ejection fraction \<40%, cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy, heart transplantation, Type 2 and Type 1 diabetes
• •Smoking or history of smoking within past one year
• •History of gastric ulcers, bleeding disorders, dyspepsia, severe gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or metabolic acidosis
• •History of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• •Abnormal resting 12-lead ECG (e.g., evidence of myocardial infarction, left ventricular hypertrophy, left-bundle branch block, 2nd or 3rd degree AV block, atrial fibrillation/flutter)
• •Serious neurologic disorders including seizures
• •History of renal failure, dialysis or kidney transplant
• •Serum creatinine \> 2.0 mg/dL, or hepatic enzyme (ALT/AST) concentrations \> 3 times the upper limit of normal
• •History of HIV infection, hepatic cirrhosis, other preexisting liver disease, or positive HIV, Hepatitis B or C test at screening.
• •Use of any investigational product or investigational medical device within 30 days prior to screening, or requirement for any investigational agent prior to completion of all scheduled study assessments.
• •History of recent chicken pox, shingles or influenza (ie., risk of Reye's syndrome)
• •Recent flu-like symptoms within the past 2 weeks
• •Pregnant or breastfeeding at screening, or planning to become pregnant (self or partner) at any time during the study. A urinary pregnancy test will be done on all females. If test is positive, the subject will be excluded.
• •Women with history of hormone replacement therapy within the past 6 months
• •History of rheumatoid arthritis, Grave's disease, systemic lupus erythematosis, and Wegener's granulomatosis;
• •Taking lipid lowering (e.g., statins, niacin), glycemic control (e.g. metformin, insulin), anticoagulation, anti-seizure, anti-depression or antipsychotic agents
• •History of co-morbid condition that would limit life expectancy to \< 6 months.
• •Taking chronic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as aspirin, indomethacin, naproxen, acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and not able or willing to go off of for 2 weeks prior and during the study
• •Taking cox-2 inhibitors (Celebrex, Vioxx, etc) or allopurinol (Zyloprim, Lopurin, Allopurin)
• •Taking blood thinners such as coumadin (Warfarin), enoxaparin (Lovenox); clopidogrel (Plavix); dipyridamole (Persantine); heparin;
• •Taking diabetic medications (Metformin, glyburide, insulin, etc.), thiazolidinediones (Avandia, Rezulin, Actos);
• •Taking steroids or biologics : corticosteroids (prednisone); methotrexate, infliximab (Remicade), etanercept (Enbrel); anakinra;
• •Taking thyroid medications such as levothyroxine (Levoxyl, Synthroid, Levoxyl, Unithroid); Levodopa;
• •Taking Phosphodiesterase (PDE) 5 inhibitors (e.g., Viagra®, Cialis®, Levitra®, or Revatio®); PDE 3 inhibitors (e.g., cilostazol, milrinone, or vesnarinone); lithium
• •May participate if no use of the following medications in the 48 hours prior to experimental visits: naproxen (Aleve), acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), other any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS)
• •Vulnerable populations (prisoners, etc.)
• •Any condition that, in the view of the PI, places the subject at high risk of poor treatment compliance or of not completing the study.
• •History of alcohol abuse or \>10 alcoholic units per week (1 unit= 1 beer, 1 glass of wine, 1 mixed cocktail containing 1 oz alcohol)
• •On weight loss drugs (e.g., Xenical (orlistat), Meridia (sibutramine), Acutrim (phenylpropanol-amine), or similar over-the-counter medications) within 3 months of screening
• •Any surgery within 30 days of screening