What factors affect BNP levels?

BNP levels are influenced by various factors including heart conditions, hypertension, kidney dysfunction, body fluid balance, certain medications, rigorous exercise, age, and obesity. What is the normal range for BNP levels? The normal range for BNP levels depends on age and gender, which should be taken as general guidelines.

Why is BNP important?

BNP helps the body compensate for heart failure (HF); measurements of BNP help doctors diagnose and treat this serious condition. Heart failure results when the heart becomes too weak or too stiff to pump normally. The most common causes are coronary artery disease and hypertension. In other cases, heart valve disease is to blame.

Where does BNP come from?

BNP was first discovered in porcine brain tissue in 1988, which led to its initial naming as "brain natriuretic peptide", although subsequent research revealed that BNP is primarily produced and secreted by the ventricular myocardium (heart muscle) in response to increased ventricular blood volume and stretching.