[Increased concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide in the plasma and heart atrium of patients with aortic and mitral valve diseases compared to patients with coronary heart disease].

Plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and tissue content of the peptide were measured simultaneously in 18 patients with coronary heart disease (group A) and 10 patients with aortic or mitral dysfunction (group B) undergoing open heart surgery. Plasma levels of ANP were significantly higher in patients with valvular heart disease compared to those with coronary heart disease (816 +/- 246 pg/ml versus 232 +/- 58 pg/ml, p less than 0.005). Similarly, tissue levels of ANP in the right atrium of group B doubled that of group A (227 +/- 46 micrograms/g versus 129 +/- 15 micrograms/g, p less than 0.025). Plasma levels and tissue content of ANP were not correlated. However, plasma ANP levels and mean pulmonary artery pressure were positively correlated (r = 0.688, p less than 0.05). Chronic stimulation of ANP secretion leads to a tissue accumulation of natriuretic peptide in heart atrium.