Inhibition of oxidative stress by apocynin attenuated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease progression and vascular injury by cigarette smoke exposure.

Background And Purpose: Cardiovascular disease affects up to half of the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), exerting deleterious impact on health outcomes and survivability. Vascular endothelial dysfunction marks the onset of cardiovascular disease. The present study examined the effect of a potent NADPH Oxidase (NOX) inhibitor and free-radical scavenger, apocynin, on COPD-related cardiovascular disease.