NOS3 and hypertensive disorder: To obtain a better model of the relationship between hypertension and atherosclerosis, we used the ApoE−/− atherosclerotic mouse model and the NOS3 knockout (NOS3-KO; NOS3−/−) hypertensive mouse model to cross-backcross and establish an ApoE/NOS3 double knockout (ApoE/NOS3-KO; ApoE/NOS3−/−) mouse model of hypertensive atherosclerosis.