Value of brain natriuretic peptide after acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is secreted predominantly from the ventricles in response to increased wall stress, which is known to be one of the major forces driving left ventricular (LV) remodeling. In this prospective study, we evaluated value of BNP levels in acute myocardial infarction (MI) patients for the prediction of heart failure during one year of follow-up.

METHODS: Seventy-four patients with a first ST-elevation MI were examined prospectively after 5 days and 1 month with echocardiography and blood samples for BNP were obtained. Clinical events were recorded during 12 months of follow-up. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to analyze the value of different baseline characteristics as independent predictors of LV ejection fraction (LVEF)
RESULTS: Brain natriuretic peptide levels were higher in patients developing symptomatic heart failure during follow up irrespective of presence of LVEF 39 pg/ml identified LVEF
CONCLUSIONS: High level of BNP is a powerful marker of LV systolic dysfunction and poor prognosis after MI. Increased BNP levels are associated with progressive ventricular dilatation and development of clinical heart failure.