BACKGROUND Increased arterial stiffness and higher plasma natriuretic peptide and homocysteine levels are associated with elevated risk for cardiovascular disease. Little is known about the relations of natriuretic peptides and homocysteine to arterial wall stiffness in the community. METHODS AND RESULTS We assessed the relations of plasma N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide, B-type natriur...

BACKGROUND The onset of symptoms is a critical point in the natural history of aortic stenosis and the cardinal indication for valve replacement. This study assessed the associations between natriuretic peptide levels, disease severity, and cardiac symptoms in aortic stenosis. METHODS AND RESULTS Seventy-four patients with isolated aortic stenosis underwent independent assessment of symptoms,...

Atrial natriuretic peptide is a potent diuretic hormone secreted by the atria in response to volume expansion. We examined the effect of resting tension on atrial natriuretic peptide secretion by rat atria superfused in vitro. Left atria were hooked between an electrode and force transducer and superfused with medium 199. The atria were studied at a pacing frequency of 0 or 3 Hz. Atrial natriur...

Objectives: To determine whether blood natriuretic peptide concentrations are helpful in identifying or excluding left ventricular systolic dysfunction in stable survivors of acute myocardial infarction. Design: Comparison of blood natriuretic peptide concentrations with echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular systolic function in a general practice population. Setting: Practices in We...

Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide concentrations, measured in samples drawn from the pulmonary artery, were raised in nine of 17 patients with hypoxic pulmonary hypertension but normal right atrial pressures at rest. No relationship was seen between atrial natriuretic peptide concentrations and mean pulmonary artery or right atrial pressure, or calculated pulmonary or systemic vascular resistan...

N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, C-reactive protein, and uri-nary albumin levels as predictors of mortality and cardiovascular events in older adults. impact of plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic pep-tide in severe chronic congestive heart failure: a substudy of the carvedilol prospective randomized cumulative survival (COPERNICUS) Studies of cardiopulmonary bypass in children: im...

Correspondence to: Professor Paulo M Bettencourt, Unidade Cuidados Intermédios Medicina, Hospital S Joaõ, Alameda Hernani Monteiro, 4200 Porto, Portugal; pbettfer@ esoterica.pt _________________________ T he identification of natriuretic peptides led to an explosion of basic and clinical investigations to clarify their physiology, pathophysiologic role in heart failure, and clinical usefulness....

This study reports the cardiovascular and renal actions of a novel and newly synthesized 27-amino acid peptide termed vasonatrin peptide (VNP). VNP is a chimera of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP). This synthetic peptide possesses the 22-amino acid structure of CNP, which is a cardiovascular selective peptide of endothelial origin and is structurally related...

BACKGROUND On trigeminal ganglion neurons, pain-sensing P2X3 receptors are constitutively inhibited by brain natriuretic peptide via its natriuretic peptide receptor-A. This inhibition is associated with increased P2X3 serine phosphorylation and receptor redistribution to non-lipid raft membrane compartments. The natriuretic peptide receptor-A antagonist anantin reverses these effects. We studi...

This article highlights natriuretic peptide synthesis and release. Based on essential clinical trials the article gives medical insights into the use of natriuretic peptides in the emergency setting. The natriuretic peptides help confirm or rule out a diagnosis of heart failure and shorten the visit to the emergency room in addition to reducing the overall cost. However, when interpreting natri...