NOS3 and endothelial dysfunction: Moreover, patients with cardiovascular disease and dyslipidemia have high levels of circulating asymmetric di-methyl-arginine (ADMA) [28], an analogue of L-arginine that inhibits NOS-3 activity [29], and this leads to lower NO levels; this explains why endothelial dysfunction and the pro-coagulant state are more severe in this cohort of patients.