What is a common use for Nitric Oxide in medical settings?

Nitric Oxide is primarily used in medical settings for the treatment of infants with hypoxic respiratory failure. This application is significant because nitric oxide acts as a selective pulmonary vasodilator, which helps improve blood flow in the lungs and enhances oxygenation. When administered to infants who are experiencing low levels of oxygen due to respiratory conditions, nitric oxide can effectively alleviate hypoxia by reducing pulmonary vascular resistance and improving ventilation-perfusion matching in the lungs.

This specific use is essential in neonatal care, particularly for conditions such as persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), where the baby's blood vessels in the lungs do not dilate adequately, leading to serious oxygenation problems. The inhalation of nitric oxide improves oxygen delivery and can significantly reduce the need for more invasive interventions, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

While nitric oxide has various roles in other medical situations, its critical application in treating hypoxic respiratory failure in infants is what sets it apart as the most recognized use in this context.