Postoperative heart failure (PHF) remains the major cause of mortality after cardiac surgery. Unfortunately, generally accepted diagnostic criteria for PHF are lacking. This may explain why the evidence for the efficacy and safety of current treatment of PHF with inotropes is insufficient. In cardiology practice N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is an established biomarker for heart failure. However, the association between NT-proBNP and PHF after cardiac surgery needs further clarification. Glutamate is a key intermediate in myocardial metabolism, which may improve myocardial tolerance to ischemia and facilitate post-ischemic recovery. Glutamate was associated with a reduced risk of developing severe PHF in high-risk patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). The aim of this thesis was to study the role of NT-proBNP for prediction and assessment of PHF in cardiac surgery (Paper I-III) and the impact of intravenous glutamate infusion on postoperative NT-proBNP after CABG (Paper IV). Paper I: We retrospectively studied the role of underlying heart disease for preoperative NT-proBNP in patients admitted for first time CABG (n=2226), aortic valve surgery (AVR) for aortic stenosis (AS) (n=406) and mitral valve surgery for mitral valve regurgitation (MR) (n=346) by adjusting for non-cardiac confounders (age, gender, obesity and renal function). The level of NT-proBNP in AS or MR was 1.67 (p<0.0001) and 1.41 times (p<0.0001) higher respectively than in coronary artery disease (CAD) after adjusting for confounders. Preoperative NT-proBNP was predictive of severe PHF in CAD and MR patients but less so in AS patients. Preoperative NT-proBNP emerged as an independent risk factor for severe PHF and postoperative mortality in CAD patients. Paper II-III: We prospectively studied the association between postoperative NT-proBNP and PHF in two cohorts, patients undergoing AVR for AS Eva Ahlgren Andersson, Head of the Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery. For allowing me to pursue the scientific path and facilitating my research project. All the colleagues at the Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular surgery and Cardiothoracic Anesthesia for being good friends and part of a good working climate.