February 01, 2021
In people with no history of CV disease, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels can predict a higher risk of developing CV disease across various blood pressure and pulse pressure ranges, new data from the Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities (ARIC) study suggest.
The findings raise the possibility of using NT-proBNP tests, which have typically been restricted to the diagnosis and management of heart failure (HF), in the setting of hypertension, researchers say.
Additional information on individual risk could help clinicians refine decisions about therapy, said lead author Aliza Hussain, MD (Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX). The most recent hypertension guidelines recommend a treatment goal of less than 130/80 mm Hg across patient groups, she noted, but making a decision to get more aggressive in patients with only moderate hypertension has been a tough sell.