NT-proBNP Archives

Tag: NT-proBNP

N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is an inactive peptide released along with the active peptide hormone BNP when the walls of the heart are stretched or there is pressure overload on the heart e.g. by fluid overload. BNP then acts on the kidneys causing fluid and sodium loss in the urine and mild vasodilation so releasing the pressure.
In heart failure the heart cannot pump strongly enough for the body’s requirements, the heart walls are stretched and fluid starts to accumulate causing back pressure and hence more BNP to be released.
NT-proBNP is released into the circulation in equal amounts to the active hormone but is significantly more stable and hence forms a good marker of BNP output.
There are many factors which can affect BNP levels (see below) but a low level has been found useful in ruling out heart failure as an explanation of a patient’s symptoms (negative predictive value 97%) so that only patients with a significantly raised level need to be further investigated for this condition.
Used as an indicator to assess risk of Hedinger Syndrome (so called Carcinoid Heart Disease) via standard blood draw.

05 May 2024

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Neuroendocrine Cancer – don’t break my heart!

Awareness, Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Survivorship, TreatmentCarcinoid heart disease, Carcinoid syndrome, ECG, Echocardiogram, Heart disease, Hedinger syndrome, Hormones, Neuroendocrine, Neuroendocrine cancer, NT-proBNP, Patent foramen ovale (PFO), Quality of LIfe (QoL), Serotonin, SI NET, Small intestine NET (SI NET), Somatostatin analogues, Surgery

Neuroendocrine Cancer has certain unique features whereby tumours can produce one or more symptoms which are known collectively as a syndrome. Some doctors may refer to this as a functional tumour. Neuroendocrine Tumours secreting excess amounts of serotonin sufficiently to develop a syndrome currently called Carcinoid Syndrome, which if not diagnosed and treated early enough, or the levels of serotonin ae not controlled following diagnosis, can lead to an additional complication known as Hedinger Syndrome (also known as Carcinoid Heart Disease (CHD)). However, late diagnoses can present with CHD already in place and in some cases, may have led to…