Plasma Levels of Atrial Natriuretic Peptide Are Increased in Normotensive Postmenopausal Women as a Function of Age

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the changes in atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels before and after menopause and to test whether they depend on age or are an integral part of the hormonal changes in menopause. We measured plasma ANP, plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma aldosterone, serum estradiol-17β and progesterone concentrations in 103 normotensive women, either in premenopause (n = 35; mean age: 24 years), in physiological menopause (n = 34; mean age: 43 years) or surgically induced menopause (n= 34; mean age: 55 years). The last two groups were matched for duration of menopause and were comparable in their estrogen and progesterone status. PRA and plasma aldosterone concentrations decreased in postmenopausal women, whereas systolic blood pressure and ANP increased. These results were not confirmed after adjustment for age by co variance analysis. In all of the groups, plasma ANP concentrations were not significantly correlated with systolic or diastolic blood pressure, nor with plasma aldosterone, estrogen and progesterone concentrations. These correlations were not improved by correction for age. Plasma ANP concentrations were consistently correlated with age. These data suggest that the increase in plasma ANP levels found in postmenopausal women is related with age and that ANP does not play a direct role in the physiological hormonal changes of menopause.

Hormonal replacement therapy affects calcitonin gene-related peptide and atrial natriuretic peptide secretion in postmenopausal women

“…Increased plasma ANP levels are described in some hyperestrogenic conditions, such as pregnancy (28) and in women taking hormonal contraceptives (29). Since plasma ANP levels increase with age in both sexes (19,30), the increase in plasma ANP levels in postmenopausal women has been hypothesized to be a function of age and not of a physiological hormonal change at menopause (19). In particular, the increase in ANP may be due to an age-related reduction in hemodynamic responsiveness to ANP (31).…”

“…Increased plasma ANP levels have been found in postmenopausal women even though these changes have been related to age rather than to postmenopausal modifications (19).…”