Does rapid measurement of B-type natriuretic peptide improve establishing or excluding the diagnosis of congestive heart failure in patients with acute dyspnea?
Rapid BNP measurement, when used with other clinical information, is a useful diagnostic tool for evaluating heart failure in patients presenting with acute dyspnea.
Used in conjunction with other clinical information, rapid measurement of B-type natriuretic peptide is useful in establishing or excluding the diagnosis of congestive heart failure in patients with acute dyspnea.
Maisel et al. (2002) studied this question.