Diagnostic and prognostic usefulness of natriuretic peptides in emergency department patients with dyspnea

More than 4.5 million Americans have congestive heart failure (CHF), close to 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, and one third of known patients with CHF are annually admitted to the hospital. Emergency department diagnosis of CHF is often based on history and physical examination findings along with results of ancillary tests, such as chest radiography and ECG. Although signs and symptoms of fluid overload, such as lower extremity edema and dyspnea, raise the suspicion of CHF, their lack of sensitivity makes them poor screening tools. The natriuretic peptides are promising markers of myocardial dysfunction and heart failure. Because of their relationship to myocardial pressure and stretching, natriuretic peptides have been investigated over the past 5 decades as both diagnostic and prognostic markers in acute coronary syndromes and CHF. This article discusses each of the natriuretic peptides and attempts to delineate their potential diagnostic and prognostic roles in the ED.