Decreases in NO bioavailability and NOS‐mediated vasorelaxation are commonly noted in conduit arteries from male animal models of hypertension, although we previously reported that NOS‐mediated vasorelaxation was maintained in small arteries from male hypertensive rats (Sasser et al. 2004; Kang et al. 2007). This evidence concerns the gene NOS1 and hypertensive disorder.