Chest Pain
BNP & pro BNP
A BNP or NT-proBNP test may be ordered in a doctor's office when a person has signs and symptoms that could be due to heart failure. These may include:
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Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
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Fatigue
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Swelling in the feet, ankles, legs, abdomen
Testing may be done in the emergency room when someone is in crisis and/or has symptoms that could be due to heart failure and health practitioners need to quickly determine if a person is suffering from heart failure or some other medical problem.
Several BNP or NT-proBNP tests may be done over a period of time when an individual is being treated for heart failure to monitor the effects of therapy.