BNP

BNP is increased in congestive heart failure, left ventricular hypertrophy, acute myocardial infarction, coronary angioplasty, and hypertension. Elevations are also observed in pulmonary hypertension (indicating right ventricular dysfunction), acute lung injury, hypervolemic states, chronic renal failure and cirrhosis.

BNP, B-type natriuretic peptide is hormone produced by cardiomyocytes in the heart ventricles as a response to stretching their walls as a consequence of increased blood volume in ventricles, which is common in heart failure. Due to that fact, BNP is a indicator of acute heart failure. It is synthesized as prepro-BNP, which degradates to the pro-BNP and N-terminal pro-BNP (NT-proBNP), whose measurement is also significant in heart failure. They are produced in the heart when it is stretched and working hard to pump blood. Among the patients with acute heart deficiency, limit value of NT pro-BNP is 300 pg/mL and for BNP 100pg/mL. Among the patients with chronic heart deficiency limit value of NT pro-BNP is 125 pg/mL, and 35 pg/ml for BNP. A doctor often orders these analyses when he/she suspects that patient has heart failure, based on the symptoms. Main symptoms of this condition are: shortness of breath, coughing, syncope and dizziness, swelling in the ankles, exercise intolerance, loss of appetite and sometimes chest pain. Usually breathing gets worse at night when person is lying flat.

This test is performed in following conditions such as:

• Suspicion of congestive heart failure
• Hypertrophy of left ventricle
• Acute heart attack
• Atrial fibrillation
• Essential hypertension
• Some of the following symptoms: shortness of breath, coughing, syncope and dizziness, swelling in the ankles, exercise intolerance, loss of appetite, etc.

Also Known As: B-Type Natriuretic Peptide