BACKGROUND Dendroaspis natriuretic peptide (DNP) is the newest member of the natriuretic peptide family and is a circulating peptide in humans. The effects of DNP on the human vasculature are unknown. Since other natriuretic peptides are known to cause vasorelaxation, we determined the response to DNP on human blood vessels in vitro. We also investigated the mechanism of DNP mediated vasorelaxa...

We examined the effect of atrial natriuretic peptide on cerebral edema in 96 rats. Forty-four rats were given 30 (n = 11), 120 (n = 26), or 150 (n = 7) micrograms/kg of the peptide intravenously over 24 hours after occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery to induce cerebral ischemia. We then measured the brain water content, the brain sodium and potassium contents, the in vitro proton nucle...

In the present study, we assessed the use of urinary natriuretic peptides [N-terminal proatrial natriuretic peptide (N-ANP) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (N-BNP) and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP)] in the diagnosis of heart failure. Thirty-four consecutive hospitalized heart failure patients (median age, 75.5 years; 14 female) were compared with 82 age- and gender-matched echoc...