title: The role of atrial natriuretic peptide in modulating cardiac electrophysiology.
abstract: Since the discovery of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in 1981, significant progress has been made in understanding the mechanism of its release and its role in salt and water balance in the body. It has also become clear that ANP plays a key role in cardiac electrophysiology, modulating the autonomic nervous system and regulating the function of cardiac ion channels. The clinical importance of this role was established when mutations in NPPA, the gene encoding ANP, were identified as a cause of familial atrial fibrillation. This review examines our current understanding of the electrophysiological effects of ANP, and their physiological relationship to clinical studies linking ANP and atrial fibrillation.
authors.affiliation: University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Perrin
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Gollob
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000473:pathology*; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System; D054849:Cardiac Electrophysiology; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation*; D006801:Humans; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor