This review discusses the clinical relevance, controversial issues, and pathophysiological perspectives of using B-type natriuretic peptide assays in heart failure management.
BNP may enable earlier HF intervention; leaves open its utility for therapy guidance in renal failure or with enzyme inhibitors.
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.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Clerico et al. (2016) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: