N Peptide blood test...

Published

Specializes in ICU.

Explain the N peptide test and what causes the elevation. Any info would be helpful....Thanks

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency, Education, Informatics.
Explain the N peptide test and what causes the elevation. Any info would be helpful....Thanks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_natriuretic_peptide

It's not on the level of a peer review journal but it's a start.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in SICU, EMS, Home Health, School Nursing.

Its actually BNP and it is used to diagnose heart failure. The website Craig posted explains it a lot more.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CTICU, Interventional Cardiology, CCU.

elevated BNP is a sign of CHF, I was told at a critical care course that BNP lab test is the definitive dx for CHF/heart failure, BUT I have had pt's thats BNP was WNL and the pt. still was Dx. with CHF. Usually if it's 1000 or above, I believe , it's a sign of CHF..but I would read up on it. I had never herd of BNP untill I started on my floor, I didn't larn about it in Nursing school, I only knew of the CHF in the text books from school. The hospital Critical care classes I took as a new RN went into depth about BNP and CHF..hope this helps

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Not too many areas I haven't dipped into.
elevated BNP is a sign of CHF, I was told at a critical care course that BNP lab test is the definitive dx for CHF/heart failure, BUT I have had pt's thats BNP was WNL and the pt. still was Dx. with CHF. Usually if it's 1000 or above, I believe , it's a sign of CHF..but I would read up on it. I had never herd of BNP untill I started on my floor, I didn't larn about it in Nursing school, I only knew of the CHF in the text books from school. The hospital Critical care classes I took as a new RN went into depth about BNP and CHF..hope this helps

For us, over 100 is abnormal. But, like you said, I had a patient this week whose BNP was 141 but they sounded like they were drowing in a jacuzzi.

BNP is a realtively (in nursing terms) new lab to follow but it is usually very accurate.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg and CCU/ER.

At our hospital, if the BNP is over 100, then the pt is dx CHF. However, if the pt is on Natrecor, and the dr wants to recheck the BNP....expect it to be high. Natrecor causes a rise in the BNP results.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion