title: B-type natriuretic peptide: a new tool in the armamentarium used to accurately diagnose heart failure.
abstract: Nearly 5 million Americans have heart failure (HF). Making a correct diagnosis early is an important component in the multifaceted approach to detection and/or treatment of this disease. The US Food and Drug Administration recently approved a point-of-care B-type natriuretic peptide assay to be used in the diagnosis of HF. Nesiritide, a synthetic B-type natriuretic peptide, was also approved for use in decompensated HF. B-type natriuretic peptide is released from the cardiac ventricles in response to increased left ventricular volume and/or pressure. This article reviews the nature of this peptide and its potential as a screening tool for HF. It will also present evidence defining the role of B-type natriuretic peptide in the differential diagnosis of dyspnea, prognosis after cardiac events, and in monitoring HF drug therapy.
authors: State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA.
authors: Meriam
authors: M
authors: Caboral
authors: Judith
authors: J
authors: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor