[Diagnostic value of atrial natriuretic peptide in hypertension and heart insufficiency]

Serum ANP levels were measured by radioreceptor assay in 40 patients with various forms of secondary hypertension and 6 patients with heart failure. In addition, serum ANP was determined in 4 patients with renal artery stenosis before and after dilatation, as well as in 5 anephric patients before and after haemodialysis. Our results showed elevated serum ANP level in most patients with various forms of secondary hypertension and chronic heart failure. A distinction between these two groups and a control group of healthy individuals was not possible due to the wide range and occasional normal levels in the first two groups. ANP levels in patients with renal stenosis decreased after dilatation but there was no correlation with the success of this procedure. A positive correlation between ANP and plasma renin level was detectable in patients with renal artery stenosis, but was also elevated in anephric patients with absent renin production. In summary, our results show that measurements of serum-ANP are of little significance in the diagnosis of hypertension and chronic cardiac failure.