Atrial natriuretic factor attenuates sympathetic reflexes during lower body negative pressure in normal men

To assess further the effects of atrial natriuretic factor on autonomic nervous system reflexes in normal humans, the hemodynamic and neurohormonal responses to lower body negative pressure were measured at control and during infusions of atrial natriuretic factor and nitroglycerin in nine normal male subjects. The control -20 mm Hg lower body negative pressure was characterized by significant reductions in right atrial and pulmonary wedge pressures, as well as stroke volume and cardiac output. This was associated with a reflex increase in forearm vascular resistance and plasma norepinephrine. During the infusion of atrial natriuretic factor, the same -20 mm Hg lower body negative pressure produced a larger decrease in mean arterial pressure of 7.9 ± 3.9 mm Hg (p < 0.05), as well as a larger decrease in stroke volume (41.3 ± 4.2 ml/beat) and cardiac output (2.0 ± 0.3 L/min). Atrial natriuretic factor infusion did not affect the increase in forearm vascular resistance during lower body negative pressure, but did attenuate the increase in plasma norepinephrine. To control for nonspecific vasodilator actions, lower body negative pressure was also repeated during nitroglycerin infusion. Nitroglycerin infusion did not significantly change the responses of blood pressure, cardiac output, stroke volume, forearm vascular resistance, or plasma norepinephrine during lower body negative pressure. Thus, these data demonstrate that atrial natriuretic factor infusion can attenuate sympathetic nervous system reflexes evoked during lower body negative pressure. These inhibitory effects on the sympathetic nervous system may contribute to many of the observed hemodynamic actions of atrial natriuretic factor.