Atrial natriuretic factor, cardiac volumes and filling pressures during exercise in congestive heart failure

To study the mechanism of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) release in heart failure, we measured plasma ANF concentrations, cardiac volumes and filling pressures at rest and during three graded exercise levels (El, E2, E3) in six male patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) and compared them with 13 normal male subjects. At rest, ANF concentrations were sixfold higher in patients with CHF than in normal subjects (at rest: 53 ±12 vs 8±1 pmol.l−1; P < 0.02). End-systolic ventricular volumes were increased threefold in patients with CHF (P