Neurohumoral and Hemodynamic Mechanisms of Diuresis During Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia

Thirty-two consecutive patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardias, with previously defined mechanisms of the tachycardias, were interviewed by noninvestigators about whether they experienced symptoms of diuresis during or at the termination of the tachycardias, to test the hypothesis that patients with AV nodal reentrant tachycardia would have a feeling of diuresis, polyuria, or both during or at the termination of the tachycardia. Twelve of the 13 patients with AV nodal reentrant tachycardia (92%), two of the 15 patients with AV reentrant tachycardia (13%), and one of the 4 patients with atrial flutter associated with 2:1 AV conduction (25%) felt diuresis during or at the termination of the tachycardias (AV nodal reentrant tachycardia vs other forms of tachycardia; P < 0.001). In 14 of the 32 patients, the right atrial pressure and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) concentration were measured during both the tachycardias and sinus rhythm. The mean right atrial pressure during AV nodal reentrant tachycardia was significantly elevated compared to that during other forms of tachycardia (P < 0.01). The plasma ANP concentration during AV nodal reentrant tachycardia was also elevated significantly compared to that during other forms of tachycardias (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the cycle lengths of the tachycardias, age, left atrial dimensions, or the left ventricular ejection fraction between the AV nodal reentrant tachycardia and the other forms of tachycardia. We concluded that the feeling of diuresis during or at the termination of tachycardia was a more common symptom in patients with AV nodal reentrant tachycardia. The higher secretion of plasma ANP from the right atrium might be involved in the mechanism of this symptom.