Which biomarker is elevated in heart failure?

Which biomarker is elevated in heart failure?

• A. Troponin I
• B. BNP
• C. CK-MB
• D. ALT

Answer: (B)

BNP rises when the ventricles are stretched from high filling pressures, which happens with volume overload in heart failure. The heart releases BNP to help reduce the load: it promotes natriuresis and vasodilation and dampens mechanisms that worsen failure, like the renin-angiotensin system. Because of this response to increased pressure and volume, BNP levels correlate with the severity of heart failure and are commonly elevated in these patients, making it a key diagnostic and prognostic biomarker. Troponin I and CK-MB indicate acute myocardial injury (such as from a heart attack) rather than a chronic response to heart failure, so they’re not the markers you rely on to assess HF status. ALT is a liver enzyme and isn’t used to track heart failure, though liver congestion can occur in advanced cases.

BNP rises when the ventricles are stretched from high filling pressures, which happens with volume overload in heart failure. The heart releases BNP to help reduce the load: it promotes natriuresis and vasodilation and dampens mechanisms that worsen failure, like the renin-angiotensin system. Because of this response to increased pressure and volume, BNP levels correlate with the severity of heart failure and are commonly elevated in these patients, making it a key diagnostic and prognostic biomarker.

Troponin I and CK-MB indicate acute myocardial injury (such as from a heart attack) rather than a chronic response to heart failure, so they’re not the markers you rely on to assess HF status. ALT is a liver enzyme and isn’t used to track heart failure, though liver congestion can occur in advanced cases.