RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Atrial natriuretic peptide in primary pulmonary hypertension
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 910
OP 913
DO 10.1183/09031936.93.03080910
VO 3
IS 8
A1 AH Morice
A1 J Pepke-Zaba
A1 MJ Brown
A1 PS Thomas
A1 TW Higenbottam
YR 1990
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/3/8/910.abstract
AB Plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) were determined during cardiac catheterization in nine patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) and the effect of prostacyclin infusion via a right heart catheter studied. The role of hypoxia on the release of ANP was investigated in a control group of six normal subjects who underwent an acute hypoxic challenge. Patients showed the typical haemodynamic changes of primary pulmonary hypertension with elevation of mean (SD) pulmonary artery pressure, 71.3 (13.8) mmHg, and low cardiac index, 1.9 (0.5) l.min-1.m-2. Plasma ANP was also elevated; mean pulmonary artery plasma ANP was 96.3 (77.6) pmol.l-1 in PPH patients compared with mean venous plasma ANP of 8.9 (5.6) pmol.l-1 in normal subjects. Prostacyclin infusion in PPH patients and hypoxic challenge in normal subjects did not significantly alter plasma ANP levels. The elevated levels of ANP in PPH are due to the altered haemodynamics secondary to increased pulmonary vascular resistance and may be responsible for the lack of peripheral oedema seen in this condition.