BNP and NT-proBNP are especially useful in CHF for?

• A. Supporting diagnosis and prognosis in heart failure.
• B. Determining ejection fraction.
• C. Detecting coronary artery disease.
• D. Assessing valvular stenosis.

Answer: (A)

BNP and NT-proBNP reflect ventricular wall stress and filling pressures, so they rise when heart failure is present and the heart is under congestion. This makes them especially useful for diagnosing heart failure in patients with dyspnea or other symptoms and for gauging severity and prognosis—the higher the level, the greater the risk of hospitalization or death. They help differentiate cardiac from non-cardiac causes of symptoms and can guide monitoring and treatment response over time. They are not direct measures of how well the left ventricle pumps (that’s what ejection fraction assesses), and they don’t diagnose coronary artery disease or quantify valvular stenosis, which rely on imaging, ischemia testing, and valve-specific assessments.