The potential role of natriuretic peptides and other biomarkers in heart failure diagnosis, prognosis and management

Heart failure (HF) is a complex disease process that is challenging to diagnose and manage. For more than 15 years, biomarkers have been used to diagnose and the guide the management of patients with this disease. The gold standard biomarkers for HF are B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP); both are used for diagnosis and prognosis. More recently, there has been an interest in use of BNP and NT-proBNP for HF management as well. Important aspects regarding production and clearance of BNP and NT-proBNP exist, which are vital for the clinician to understand. Beyond BNP or NT-proBNP, other newer biomarkers such as mid-regional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide, soluble ST2, highly sensitive troponin and renal biomarkers may add value for prognostication and possibly, patient management. In this article, the authors will discuss the established and evolving role of BNP and NT-proBNP in HF, along with consideration of select newer biomarkers in this setting.