title: Natriuretic peptides in acute chest pain and acute coronary syndrome:  from pathophysiology to clinical and prognostic applications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Plasma levels of natriuretic peptides (NPs) appear to have an important prognostic value in many clinical settings including coronary artery disease and provide additional information about cardiovascular risk.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to review the literature on the role of NPs in the prognosis and management of patients with acute chest pain and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Several trials have assessed the prognostic value of NPs as biomarkers of myocardial injury for risk stratification in patients with acute chest pain and ACS. The additional prognostic information on measurement of NP levels is independent of that provided by cardiac troponin and the various clinical and ECG features and traditional risk markers available at hospital admission.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although measurement of the level of NPs is not recommended as a diagnostic tool in ACS management, their concentrations seem to distinguish patients at a higher risk not only for heart failure but also for ACS. NPs are a good risk marker for ACS, in addition to troponins, but have not yet been proved suitable for guiding therapy.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Department, San Filippo Neri Hospital, Rome, Italy. naspromonte@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aspromonte
authors.forename: Stefania A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Di Fusco
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Latini
authors.forename: Dinna N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masson
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tubaro
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palazzuoli
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D045265:Natriuretic Peptides / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014336:Troponin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D045265:Natriuretic Peptides; D014336:Troponin