title: B-type natriuretic Peptide: not just a heart throb.
abstract: We present 2 cases of patients with septic shock and discuss changes in B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels. While previous increases in BNP in septic shock were attributed to the accompanying myocardial depression, recent work claims that high levels of BNP in sepsis are related to an alteration in the BNP clearance pathway. We postulate from these cases that increased BNP should not automatically be associated with cardiac dysfunction and may assist in an early, difficult diagnosis of septic shock.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Royal Brisbane & Womens Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Jennifer Paratz, PhD, MPhty, FACP is currently affiliated with the Department of Intensive Care, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Paratz
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lipman