B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)

  • Is a polypeptide secreted from heat ventricles in response to ventricular volume expansion and pressure overload.
  • The major source of BNP is the cardiac ventricles. Only a minimal amount of  BNP  is found storage granules. As such, its release is directly proportional to ventricular dysfunction.
  • A BNP reliably predicts the presence or absence of left ventricular dysfunction on an echocardiogram. High levels indicated a high likelihood of HF. Low levels can rule out heart failure.

Characteristics that can produce to higher levels of NT-proBNP even in healthy individuals.

  • Healthy female patients and those >65 years of age will have higher levels of NT-proBNP than younger male patients.
  • NT-proBNP is negatively correlated with kidney function as measured by the eGFR) and albumin levels. Patients with a low GFR or a low level of albumin have higher NT-proBNP levels.
  • Grip strength is negatively correlated with NT-proBNP as well.

Characteristics that can produce to higher levels of NT-proBNP even in healthy individuals.

 

 

 

Reference / Further Reading on BNP and Pro-BNP

https://labtestsonline.org/tests/bnp-and-nt-probnp

Heart Fail Rev 2014;19(4):439-451.  Performance of BNP and NT-proBNP for diagnosis of heart failure in primary care patients: A systematic review.

N Engl J Med 2016;375(19):1868-1877. Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

J Nutr Health Aging 2016;20(9):937-943.   Impact of protein nutritional status on plasma BNP in elderly patients.

Int J Cardiol 2017;228:599-604. Plasma levels of atrial and brain natriuretic peptides in apparently healthy subjects: Effects of sex, age, and hemoglobin concentration.

Am J Med 2001;111(4):274-279.

print