title: [Melatonin and coronary heart disease].
abstract: The observation of raised nocturnal urinary norepinephrine excretion in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), together with results of animal experiments showing a suppression of sympathetic activity by melatonin, were the reasons for this investigation. In 15 patients with CHD and 10 controls the concentrations of serum melatonin, serotonin and N-acetylserotonin were determined in samples gained by venopuncture at 14.00 h and 02.00 h. The melatonin secretion was significantly lower at 02.00 h in the patients with CHD than in the controls. Moreover the serotonin concentration was significantly lower at 14.00 h in the patients with CHD, and somewhat, but not significantly, lower at 02.00 h than in the controls. On the other hand, the serum concentrations of N-acetylserotonin showed a tendency towards higher levels in the CHD patients than in the controls. The causes and consequences of the diminished secretion during the night in patients with CHD are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizinische Physiologie der Universität Wien, Osterreich.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Marktl
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brugger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Herold
mesh_terms: D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000503:physiopathology; D012016:Reference Values; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000502:physiology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000502:physiology*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D008550:Melatonin; C006389:N-acetylserotonin