The effect of coronary angioplasty on plasma NT‐proBNP level in patients with and without arterial hypertension

AIMS: The purpose of the study was to assess the effect of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) on plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level in hypertensive and normotensive subjects with and without systolic left ventricular dysfunction. METHODS AND RESULTS: Forty patients affected by ischemic heart disease and submitted to PTCA were studied. The patients were divided into four groups: group I - 10 patients with essential arterial hypertension (HT) and normal left ventricular ejection fraction (EF); group II - 10 patients with HT and EF < 55%; group III - 10 patients without HT and with normal EF; group IV - 10 patients without HT and with EF < 55%. Blood samples were collected twice: 24 h before and after PTCA. The plasma NT-proBNP concentrations increased significantly in group I (368+/-103 pg/ml vs 488 +/- 182 pg/ml; p < 0.05), in group III (257 +/- 107 pg/ml vs 447 +/- 198 pg/ml; p < 0.05), and in group IV (419 +/- 99 pg/ml vs 826 +/- 432 pg/ml; p < 0.05) 24 h after PTCA. There were significant differences in the relative change in plasma NT-proBNP concentrations between groups I and II, and between groups III and IV. CONCLUSIONS: Successful coronary angioplasty results in a rise in plasma NT-proBNP concentration. The increase is less expressive in patients with systolic left ventricular dysfunction. The presence of hypertension does not affect NT-proBNP concentration after PTCA.