Short-term effects of eating on vasoactive hormones and haemodynamics in patients with heart failure.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate if eating can influence the measurements of vasoactive hormones or their relationship to important haemodynamic variables.


METHODS
Haemodynamic variables and plasma concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), arginine vasopressin and angiotensin enzyme (ACE) activity were measured. During the 24-h study period the patients ate ordinary hospital meals and thus were studied both in the absorptive and post-absorptive phases.


METHODS
Two university hospitals in Sweden participated in the study.


METHODS
Ten patients with heart failure, due to ischaemic heart disease.


METHODS
Eating.


METHODS
Change in haemodynamic variables and plasma concentrations of vasoactive hormones related to eating.


RESULTS
After a meal (absorptive phase) pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and plasma concentrations of ANP were significantly lower compared to the postabsorptive phase, 13 +/- 1.7 vs. 16 +/- 1.9 mmHg and 57 +/- 9.5 vs. 72 +/- 12.2 pmol l-1, respectively. The relationship between ANP and its main predictor, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, was not altered during the study period. Plasma concentration of arginine vasopressin, ACE activity and mean right atrial pressure decreased with time and the cardiac index increased with time over the study period.


CONCLUSIONS
A meal may significantly influence plasma concentrations of ANP. Studies on vasodilator treatment and its interactions with ANP should take account of these basal fluctuations. The present data confirm previous reports on haemodynamic improvement during the first 24 h of supine cardiac catheterization in patients with heart failure, and add new information about decreasing concentrations of arginine vasopressin and ACE.
Berglund
H
H
Department of Medicine, Huddinge Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Nyquist
O
O
Beermann
B
B
Jensen-Urstad
M
M
Theodorsson
E
E
D000368:Aged; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000097:blood; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000097:blood; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure / Q000502:physiology
D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A