The Role of NT-proBNP Levels in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction—It Is Not Always a Hide-and-Seek Game
Christina Chrysohoou, Konstantinos Konstantinou, Kostas Tsioufis
Abstract
Although heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) has become the predominant heart failure subtype, it remains clinically under-recognized. This has been attributed to the complex pathophysiological mechanisms that accompany individuals with several co-morbidities and symptoms and signs of HFpEF. Natriuretic peptides have been recognized as playing an important role in the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), but their role in HFpEF remains controversial, driven by the different pathophysiological characteristics of these patients. The type of diet consumed has shown various modifying effects on plasma levels of NPs, irrespective of pharmacological treatment.