Blood pressure and atrial natriuretic peptides correlate throughout the day

Abstract Vessel dilator consisting of amino acids (a.a.) 31–67 and atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) composed of a.a. 99–126 of the 126 a.a. ANF prohormone circulate in humans and have potent vasodilatory properties. To determine whether these atrial natriuretic peptides are directly related to blood pressure in healthy normotensive humans, we recently had the unique opportunity to examine the circadian rhythms of vessel dilator, ANF, and blood pressure in seven individuals in 1988 and again in 1993. The changes in mean arterial pressure and systolic and diastolic blood pressure in these individuals during this 5-year hiatus allows comparison in the same individual, if circulating concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptides directly correlate with naturally occurring changes in blood pressure. In both 1988 and in 1993 vessel dilator and ANF each had significant ( p p - 0.05) and ANF ( p = 0.02) was also found. These data suggest that vessel dilator and ANF are important for the maintenance of blood pressure within the normotensive range.