Predictors of elevated NT-pro-BNP in cardiovascular patients without acute heart failure.

Aim: B-type natriuretic peptides are recommended for evaluation of acute heart failure. Aim of this study was to identify predictors of pathologically elevated NT-pro-BNP in patients without acute heart failure.

Method: NT-pro-BNP was measured in 486 inpatients with cardiovascular disease and the association with clinical and laboratory parameters was examined.

NT-pro-BNP is associated with long-term outcome in a heterogeneous sample of cardiac inpatients.

Background: B-type natriuretic peptides (NP) are excellent predictors of mortality in selected patients with heart failure and coronary heart disease. Up to now, the association of NPs with cardiovascular outcome has not been evaluated in multi-morbid populations with a broad spectrum of cardiovascular disease.

Methods: NT-pro-BNP was measured at discharge in 615 inpatients from a cardiology department of a university hospital.