[1][2][3][4] Both BNP and NT-proBNP levels in the blood are used for screening, diagnosis of acute congestive heart failure (CHF) and may be useful to establish prognosis in heart failure, as both markers are typically higher in patients with worse outcome.
[5] The plasma concentrations of both BNP and NT-proBNP are also typically increased in patients with asymptomatic or symptomatic left ventricular dysfunction and is associated with coronary artery disease, myocardial ischemia, and severity of aortic valve stenosis.
[16] In severe aortic valve stenosis, NT-proBNP provide important prognostic information beyond clinical and echocardiographic evaluation.
[17] While discussed in Canadian medical journals in the mid to late 2000s,[18] the test is not widely used.
It is also inexpensive and can be measured from blood samples routinely drawn as part of the application process.