Review of 10 years of the clinical use of brain natriuretic peptide in cardiology.
Ten years ago brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), the second compound of a family of polypeptide hormones named natriuretic peptides was identified. This peptide has great pathophysiologic importance as a stress-induced cardiac hormone secreted from ventricles, and it rises in several cardiac diseases. It promotes natriuresis and diuresis, acts as a vasodilator, and antagonizes the vasoconstrictor effects of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. The measurement of this peptide in blood by immunoassay has shown promise over the past decade in clinical diagnosis and prognosis. Because heart failure is a major health problem worldwide, BNP is proposed as a biochemical marker that might provide a useful screening test to select patients for further cardiac investigations. Such a hormone assay is inexpensive and available. The implications of BNP in diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy will be reviewed.
Valli
N
N
Service de Médecine Nucléaire, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Bordeaux, Hôpital du Haut-Lévêque, Pessac, France.
Gobinet
A
A
Bordenave
L
L
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D017461:Receptors, Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values
D015415:Biomarkers; C058930:brain natriuretic peptide receptor; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D017461:Receptors, Atrial Natriuretic Factor