Heart Failure: Biomarkers of Diagnosis and Prognosis

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Heart Failure: Biomarkers of Diagnosis and Prognosis

Heart Failure remains a common presentation in the emergency department. For the emergency physician clarifying the course of the universal complaint, shortness of breath, requires excellent clinical acumen combined with a clear understanding of the laboratory tests available to distinguish Heart Failure from other causes of dyspnea. Dr. Frank Peacock of the Cleveland Clinic authors an excellent discussion of the scientific basis for the use of the natriuretic peptide biomarkers in heart failure including future markers currently being investigated.

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Diagnosis and Risk Stratification of Acute Heart Failure Syndromes

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Diagnosis and Risk Stratification of Acute Heart Failure Syndromes

The evaluation and management of emergency department patients with potential acute heart failure syndrome have remained a significant challenge for decades. Dramatically, unlike advances for the assessment and treatment of patients with acute coronary syndrome, the emergency physician’s diagnostic tools for heart failure have remained limited. The complexity and morbidity of this syndrome alone has led to risk aversion and extremely high admission rates. These difficulties, as well as the increasing prevalence and incidence of heart failure due to improved treatment of ACS and our aging population, has placed an enormous burden on healthcare resources worldwide.

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Use of NT-ProBNP in the Emergency Department Evaluation of Shortness of Breath: Implications for Clinical Practice

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Use of NT-ProBNP in the Emergency Department Evaluation of Shortness of Breath: Implications for Clinical Practice

In this EMCREG-International newsletter, Sean P. Collins, MD, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at University of Cincinnati, OH discusses incidence of heart failure has been rising over the last decade as more patients survive significant myocardial infarction, as well as other diseases which compromise the heart. All clinicians who care for these patients must be aware of the many diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to these often critically-ill patients. NT-proBNP provides an important diagnostic and prognostic test for these heart failure patients.

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The Future of Cardiac Biomarkers

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The Future of Cardiac Biomarkers

In this EMCREG-International newsletter, Judd E. Hollander, MD, from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, discusses the development and current emergency department use of cardiac necrosis biomarkers (CK-MB, troponin, myoglobin), biomarkers of inflammation (C-reactive protein), and newer cardiac biomarkers of myocardial ischemia (brain natriuretic peptide). It is our hope to provide emergency physicians with a better understanding of the cardiac biomarkers used in emergency practice for diagnosis of ACS.

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The Evolving Role of BNP in the Diagnosis and Treatment of CHF: A Summary Of The BNP Consensus Panel Report - A Summary For Emergency Physicians

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The Evolving Role of BNP in the Diagnosis and Treatment of CHF: A Summary Of The BNP Consensus Panel Report - A Summary For Emergency Physicians

Dr. Frank Peacock, of the Cleveland Clinic, provides detailed summaries of the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for HF using BNP based on the BNP Consensus Panel

recommendations published in September, 2004 in Congestive Heart Failure. We hope this EMCREG-International newsletter provides useful information which helps you provide care to patients with HF.

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