Journal Article

Rapid Measurement of B-Type Natriuretic Peptide in the Emergency Diagnosis of Heart Failure

Knudsen, Catherine Wold, Steg, Philippe G, Westheim, Arne, Omland, Torbjørn, Wu, Alan H.B, McCullough, Peter A, Hollander, Judd E, Perez, Alberto, Duc, Philippe, Clopton, Paul, Nowak, Richard M, Maisel, Alan S, Kazanegra, Radmila, McCord, James, Storrow, Alan B, Abraham, William T, Krishnaswamy, Padma, Herrmann, Howard C

2002

Overview

B-type natriuretic peptide is released from the ventricles of the heart in response to hemodynamic stress, and blood levels of B-type natriuretic peptide may be useful in the diagnosis of heart failure. In this study, a rapid, bedside immunoassay for B-type natriuretic peptide was used to make or exclude the diagnosis of heart failure in patients with acute dyspnea from various causes. The assay was found to have good sensitivity and excellent specificity in the diagnosis of heart failure. Rapid measurement of this peptide is useful in establishing or excluding the diagnosis of congestive heart failure. Currently, there are 5 million Americans with congestive heart failure, with nearly 500,000 new cases every year. 1 The prevalence of symptomatic heart failure in the general European population ranges from 0.4 percent to 2.0 percent. 2 Because of the high total direct costs of care for heart failure, estimated at $10 billion to $38 billion per year, the Health Care Financing Administration (now the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) targeted heart failure as the disease most worthy of cost-effective management. 3 To provide cost-effective treatment for patients with congestive heart failure, rapid and accurate differentiation of congestive heart failure from other . . .

• Publisher: Massachusetts Medical Society
• Subject: Acute Disease / Aged / Biological and medical sciences / Cardiology. Vascular system / Cardiovascular system / Diabetes Complications / Diagnosis, Differential / Diagnostic tests / Dyspnea - etiology / Female / Heart / Heart failure / Heart Failure - blood / Heart Failure - classification / Heart Failure - complications / Heart Failure - diagnosis / Heart failure, cardiogenic pulmonary edema, cardiac enlargement / Humans / Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects) / Logistic Models / Male / Medical diagnosis / Medical sciences / Middle Aged / Myocardial Infarction - complications / Myocardial Infarction - diagnosis / Natriuretic Peptide, Brain - blood / Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques / Peptides / Prospective Studies / Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - complications / Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - diagnosis / Sensitivity and Specificity / Ventricular Dysfunction, Left - complications