Nesiritide (Brain Natriuretic Peptide) – Part 2
Clinically BNP is useful in helping determine the cause of pulmonary edema. The level of BNP is elevated in pulmonary edema that is caused by heart failure and is not elevated in pulmonary edema that is not related to heart failure. In fact, it is more acccurate in predicting heart failure than the classically used methods including cardiomegaly (enlarged heart) on imaging study, rales, the Framingham criteria, or the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survery.
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