title: Elevated plasma atrial natriuretic peptide in rats with myocardial infarcts.
abstract: We measured atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) plasma levels in rats with experimental heart failure caused by left coronary artery ligation. ANP levels were clearly higher in infarcted rats (409 +/- 59 pg/ml; mean +/- S.E.M.) than in sham-operated controls (39 +/- 6 pg/ml). Moreover, plasma ANP levels increased progressively with the severity of cardiac dysfunction and size of infarct. Increased release of ANP in post-infarction heart failure appears to be a meaningful compensatory response to control rising preload. Our results are in keeping with evidence from human studies showing increased plasma concentration of ANP in patients with congestive heart failure. This model is a useful tool to further explore the role of ANP in heart failure.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology; D008026:Ligation; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor