Renal and hormonal responses to atrial natriuretic peptide infusions in goats on high and low sodium intake.

Synthetic atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) was infused intravenously (1 microgram min-1; 60 min) in five goats during two series of experiments. For at least 4 weeks before the ANP infusions the goats received either no salt supplementation (= low sodium diet), or were given 16 g NaCl mixed with the food each day (Na = 274 mmol day-1; high sodium intake). The goats were changed between the treatments at random. ANP infusions caused diuresis, natriuresis and haemoconcentration during both diets. The urinary Na excretion increased about four-fold during the high sodium intake, and about 10 times during the low sodium intake. The urinary K excretion increased significantly during the low sodium diet, but decreased slightly during the high sodium intake. During both diets the K excretion became significantly lowered after the infusions. The mean glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was generally lower during the low sodium diet, but increased significantly during ANP infusions on both diets. The GFR returned to baseline immediately after the infusions, in contrast to urine flow and urinary Na excretion. Renal free water clearance increased slightly at the end of the infusion during the low sodium diet, but did not change during the high salt diet. Plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma aldosterone concentration fell during ANP infusions in goats on the low sodium intake, but did not change significantly during the high sodium diet. These results indicate that the diuresis and natriuresis observed during intravenous ANP infusions in goats are mainly due to increased GFR.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)