The Role of Biomarkers as a Tool for Screening Individuals With Arterial Hypertension and Its Consequences

Introduction. Arterial hypertension (AH) occupies one of the leading positions in the structure of cardiovascular mortality, tripling the risk of cardiovascular events. Therefore, simple and effective tools are necessary for mass screening diagnostics of hypertension-induced myocardial damage, its dysfunction, and heart failure (HF). Aim. To analyze and summarize scientific data on the potential use of biomarkers in the screening of hypertension-induced myocardial damage and HF development against the background of AH. Materials and methods. The information for this literature review was gathered from the PubMed database, Google Scholar, and electronic archives of national medical journals. Bibliosemantic and systematic analysis methods were employed. The search strategy was organized using keywords selected according to the PICOT framework. Priority was given to sources published within the last ten years. Results. Research demonstrates that peptides such as brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1), sST2, galectin-3 are involved in the pathogenesis of myocardial fibrosis and hypertrophy, which develops against the background of AH, eventually leading to dysfunction and HF. It was found that the levels of these substances significantly change in patients with AH, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), and HF, making them potential markers of these pathological conditions. The informativeness of BNP, galectin-3, and sST2 as markers for diagnosing and predicting HF development has been proven. These biomarkers have been included in international and national HF guidelines for these indications. Convincing evidence indicates that plasma levels of BNP, CT-1, sST2, galectin-3 can be used with sufficient accuracy in the examination of patients with hypertension for the purpose of early screening of hypertensive-induced myocardial damage and its dysfunction. Conclusions. There are a number of promising biomarkers for assessing the condition of patients with AH and HF. Their use is pathogenetically justified and scientifically proven, and it can improve the screening of hypertensive remodeling and myocardial dysfunction, as well as the prognosis and management of these diseases. However, for the full integration of biomarkers into clinical practice, further studies are needed to clarify standard reference values and assess the influence of various factors on their plasma levels.