Role of right heart receptors in the control of renin, vasopressin, and cortisol secretion in dogs

We have reported that increased left heart pressure inhibits increases in plasma renin activity (PRA), arginine vasopressin (AVP), and cortisol during arterial hypotension. The goal of this study was to determine whether increases in right heart pressure also inhibited hormonal responses to hypotension. Seven dogs were chronically instrumented with inflatable cuffs around the ascending aorta (AA), the pulmonary artery (PA), and the thoracic inferior vena cava (IVC), as well as with catheters in both atria, the abdominal aorta, and vena cava. The IVC, the PA, and the AA cuffs were inflated on different days to cause step reductions in mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 5, 10, 20, and 30% below control MAP. Graded constriction of the AA caused large increases in left atrial pressure and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), but had no effect on plasma AVP or cortisol and caused only a small increase in PRA at the maximal reduction of MAP. Constriction of the IVC reduced both atrial pressures and plasma ANP, but stimulated increases in PRA, AVP, and cortisol. Constriction of the PA increased right atrial pressure and plasma ANP and caused increases in plasma AVP and cortisol that were similar to responses during IVC constriction, but the PRA response was only half (P < 0.05). These results indicate that increasing pressure on the right side of the heart can attenuate the PRA response to hypotension, and suggest that the inhibition is mediated by the rise in plasma ANP.