Dominance of blood pressure in natriuresis associated with supraventricular tachycardia.

Supraventricular tachycardia was induced in 10 patients by programmed cardiac stimulation through esophageal lead. Blood pressure, heart rate, renal function, and hormonal factors were measured before, during, and after tachycardia. The patients were divided into two groups, depending on whether antinatriuresis occurred during tachycardia; one group (n = 5) with antinatriuresis during tachycardia associated with a decrease in blood pressure and the other group (n = 5) with neither antinatriuresis nor changes in blood pressure. The urinary sodium excretion tended to increase after tachycardia only in the latter group. On the other hand, urine volume and free water clearance increased during or after tachycardia in both groups. Plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide significantly increased and the urinary vasopressin excretion significantly decreased during tachycardia in both groups. During tachycardia, natriuresis due to atrial natriuretic peptide secretion seems to be hampered by hypotension, but polyuria is preserved despite the fall in blood pressure probably related to suppression of vasopressin release.