title: The impact of B-type natriuretic peptide levels on the diagnoses and management of congestive heart failure.
abstract: Congestive heart failure poses significant challenges to physicians with both diagnosis and management. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is synthesized in the cardiac ventricles. It correlates with ventricular function, NYHA classification, and prognosis. It is extremely useful in the emergency department in patients presenting with acute dyspnea. It has a particularly strong negative predictive value. In addition, it should be important in screening patients for heart diease, either for those who are at high risk (chemotherapy, diabetes) or as a possible screen before echocardiography. In the future, BNP may be used to modulate treatment of patients in the decompensated setting as well as in titrating outpatient therapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, San Diego VA Healthcare System, University of California, San Diego, California USA.
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tabbibizar
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maisel
mesh_terms: D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000097:blood*; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000097:blood; D004630:Emergencies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D011379:Prognosis; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor