Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) fragments proANP (1-30) and proANP (31-67) measurements in chronic heart failure: a useful index for heart transplantation?

The family of the atrial natriuretic peptides, proANP fragments and the active alphaANP, is strongly related to heart disease. The aim was to study in CHF subjects the relation of mdANP and NtANP with brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and with other traditional medical parameters. Sixteen CHF patients (aged 51.

Pharmacological characterization of a new Ca(2+) sensitizer.

The benzimidazole molecule was modified to synthesize a Ca(2+) sensitizer devoid of additional effects associated with Ca(2+) overload. Newly synthesized compounds, termed 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, were evaluated in spontaneously beating and electrically driven atria from reserpine-treated guinea pigs. Compound 3 resulted as the most effective positive inotropic agent, and experiments were performed to study its mechanism of action.

Endothelium is required in the vascular spasm induced by tetraethylammonium and endothelin-1 in guinea-pig aorta.

1. To investigate the role of endothelium in vascular spasm, we studied the influence of endothelin-1 (ET-1) on the contracting and spasmogenic effect of the K+-channel blocker, tetraethylammonium (TEA), in aorta rings of reserpine-treated guinea-pigs, perfused with either control (5.5 mM) or elevated (50 mM) glucose concentration.

Early reduction in plasma norepinephrine during beta-blocking therapy with metoprolol in chronic heart failure.

Background: The possible role exerted by modulation of sympathetic outflow in the clinical effects of beta-blockade in chronic heart failure was tested during short- and long-term treatment.

Methods And Results: Oral metoprolol (30-150 mg/day) was added to conventional therapy in 14 patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of <0.45, and New York Heart Association class II or III.

Impairment of endothelium-dependent but not of endothelium-independent dilatation in guinea-pig aorta rings incubated in the presence of elevated glucose.

1. Purine compounds such as ATP and adenosine, respectively endothelium-dependent and- independent vasodilators, are largely involved in the control of vascular tone and vascular reactivity to contracting stimuli. We investigated the relaxing activity of ATP and adenosine in guinea-pig aorta rings exposed for 6 h to elevated glucose concentration (50 mM), in order to mimic hyperglycaemic conditions.