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Natriuretic Peptide Testing in High-Risk Pregnancy: A Preventive Opportunity?

  • Biomarkers of Heart Failure (WHW Tang, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Natriuretic peptide testing has been widely utilized in the heart failure and cardiac patient population, but there is limited utilization during pregnancy. Patients with hypertensive diseases of pregnancy have been shown to experience elevation of circulating natriuretic peptide levels compared to normal pregnancies, especially in the setting of preeclampsia. Natriuretic peptide testing can be utilized in patients presenting with signs and symptoms suspicious of heart failure in order to rule out underlying cardiac causes. Meanwhile, monitoring natriuretic peptide levels in those with established heart diseases (both congenital and acquired) may facilitate careful management of cardiac status during the course of pregnancy. Further investigations in the judicious use of selected medications (particularly loop diuretics) in the setting of elevated natriuretic peptide levels are warranted.

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Conflict of Interest

Meera Kumari declares that she has no conflict of interest.

W.H. Wilson Tang is funded by research grants from the National Institutes of Health (R01HL103931) and Abbott Laboratories.

Anjli P. Maroo is funded by research grants from the Community West Foundation and Abbott Laboratories.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Heart and Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Meera Kumari & W. H. Wilson Tang

  2. Department of Cardiology, Fairview Hospital, 18099 Lorain Avenue, Suite 245, Cleveland, OH, 44111, USA

    Anjli P. Maroo

Authors
  1. Meera Kumari
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  2. W. H. Wilson Tang
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  3. Anjli P. Maroo
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Correspondence to Anjli P. Maroo.

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Kumari, M., Tang, W.H.W. & Maroo, A.P. Natriuretic Peptide Testing in High-Risk Pregnancy: A Preventive Opportunity?. Curr Heart Fail Rep 11, 471–476 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11897-014-0228-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11897-014-0228-2

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