Nesiritide (Brain Natriuretic Peptide) – Part 3
In 2000, a rapid BNP flourescence immunoassay was approved that can be performed at the bedside and will produce results in 10 to 15 minutes. A value greater than 100 pg/ml makes the diagnosis with a sensitivity of 90%, a specificity of 76%, and a predictive value of 83%. In addition, a low BNP value has a strong negative predictive value in ruling out heart failure. The test costs about $20 to perform.
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