N-Terminal Pro–brain Natriuretic Peptide (Nt-Probnp) as a Biochemical Marker for Assessing Severity of Aortic Stenosis

Abstract

BACKGROUNDBrain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) is an endogenous cardiac hormone, mainly secreted from the ventricular myocardium. In valvular heart diseases, either volume or pressure overload of the left ventricle occurs. Thus, it is reasonable to expect that NTproBNP might be useful in evaluating the severity and prognosis of valve diseases.