What does the BNP indicate?

BNP stands for brain or B-type natriuretic peptide. It’s made inside the pumping chambers of your heart when pressure builds up from heart failure. The test is an important tool for healthcare providers to diagnose heart failure quickly. Heart failure happens when your heart is not pumping blood well.

What is a good BNP level?

A normal level of NT-proBNP, based on Cleveland Clinic’s Reference Range is: Less than 125 pg/mL for patients aged 0-74 years. Less than 450 pg/mL for patients aged 75-99 years.

What pro BNP level indicates heart failure?

Based on their findings, with BNP < 100 pg/ml, heart failure is improbable. Levels between 100-400 pg/ml with clinical suspicion or past history of heart failure indicate probable heart failure. Finally, levels above 400 pg/ml suggest high probability of heart failure. In case of NT-proBNP higher levels were reported.

What to do if BNP is high?

When levels are above the normal range, doctors usually lower them with medication. Your doctor may prescribe ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, or diuretics to help. Other factors that you may or may not be able to control could also keep BNP levels up, such as: High blood pressure.

How high is too high for BNP?

High BNP levels are less conclusive, but in patients with suspected CHF, levels of about 900 pg/ml in 50- to 75-year-olds or above 1,200 pg/ml in older patients support the diagnosis up to 90% of the time; most of the patients who do not have true CHF have elevated BNPs due to severe lung or kidney disease.

How do I bring down my BNP?

Treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin-II receptor blockers, spironolactone, and diuretics reduces BNP levels, suggesting that BNP testing may have a role in monitoring patients with heart failure.

What happens if your BNP is high?

BNP levels go up when the heart cannot pump the way it should. A result greater than 100 pg/mL is abnormal. The higher the number, the more likely heart failure is present and the more severe it is.

What causes elevated proBNP?

Causes of Elevated BNP. 1. Cardiac Causes. Heart failure. Diastolic dysfunction. High blood pressure accompanied with hypertrophy of the left ventricle. Acute coronary syndrome – a term referring to a couple of heart conditions such as myocardial infarction and angina pectoris. Arrhythmia.

What is B type peptide?

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a chain of 32 amino acids that make up a polypeptide. The word poly means many, so the term polypeptide means many peptides.

What does BNP assess?

A BNP test is a blood test that checks levels of a chemical compound associated with heart failure. In individuals with healthy hearts, B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) in the blood is usually low. Levels begin to rise when the heart starts to fail, and the higher the levels, the more severe the heart failure.

What is pro NT BNP?

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a hormone produced by your heart. N-terminal (NT)-pro hormone BNP (NT-proBNP) is a non-active prohormone that is released from the same molecule that produces BNP.