Constriction of the thoracic inferior vena cava to decrease venous return and atrial filling markedly elevates plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and produces chronic sodium retention and ascites in the dog. Infusion of a synthetic atrial natriuretic factor into conscious dogs with caval constriction and ascites at doses of 175 and 350 ng X kg-1 X min-1 for 30 min each produced striking increases (P less than 0.05) in creatinine clearance, diuresis, and kaliuresis but failed to increase urinary sodium excretion. Infusions of atrial natriuretic factor at these doses into conscious normal dogs, however, produced a striking increase in sodium excretion from 41 +/- 14 and 55 +/- 19 mu eq/min to 150 +/- 58 and 181 +/- 49 mu eq/min (P less than 0.05 for both values). Creatinine clearance and urine flow also increased in these normal dogs, but potassium excretion remained unchanged during the infusion periods. Atrial natriuretic factor produced parallel suppression (P less than 0.05) of the elevated levels of PRA and PAC in the caval dogs but failed to significantly decrease either PRA or PAC in the normal animals. Arterial pressure, heart rate, and PAH clearance were unchanged in both groups of dogs during infusion of atrial natriuretic factor. These results suggest that the pattern of renal electrolyte excretion elicited in response to the acute infusion of atrial natriuretic factor is dependent, at least partially, on the preexisting status of the renal tubules to facilitate sodium reabsorption and potassium excretion. The results also are consistent with the concept that atrial natriuretic factor might function to tonically inhibit the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.
Aldosterone Animals