Atrial natriuretic peptide and its potential role in pharmacotherapy

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a 28 amino-acid polypeptide secreted into the blood by atrial myocytes after atrial pressure and distension. Although its role in humans is not clear, it can produce a variety of physiologic effects including vasodilatation, natriuresis, and suppression of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis. These actions are potentially useful in a variety of pathologic states such as hypertension and congestive heart failure, and diverse methods to augment the effects of ANP in these states have been devised. The results are exciting and, despite some problems, may lead to the pharmacologic use of enhancement of ANP actions in several clinical disorders.