title: Natriuretic peptides as biomarkers of cardiac endocrine function in heart failure: new challenges and perspectives.
abstract: Several studies indicated that B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) assay is able to detect patients even in the early phases of heart failure (HF), when the myocardial remodeling process may be still reversible. BNP assay may assist the physician to initiate appropriate and prompt pharmacological treatments. However, clinical relevance and result interpretation of BNP assay for the guide of therapy or in particular clinical conditions, such as renal failure or treatment with inhibitors of enzymes degrading BNP in HF patients, are still debated. The aim of this article is to discuss some still controversial issues concerning the clinical use of measurement of cardiac natriuretic peptides, and also to provide a general overview and some perspectives related to pathophysiological mechanisms of HF.
authors.affiliation: Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna & Fondazione CNR - Regione Toscana, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clerico
authors.affiliation: Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna & Fondazione CNR - Regione Toscana, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Passino
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Ricerca Traslazionale e delle Nuove Tecnologie in Medicina e Chirurgia, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Franzini
authors.affiliation: Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna & Fondazione CNR - Regione Toscana, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Emdin
mesh_terms: D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005544:Forecasting; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D045265:Natriuretic Peptides / Q000097:blood*; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D045265:Natriuretic Peptides; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor
keywords: cardiac biomarkers; cardiac fibrosis; cardiac remodeling; cardiac troponins; galectin-3; heart failure; natriuretic peptides; sST2