Rosh Internal Medicine Boost Practice Exam

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What laboratory finding is often elevated in patients suspected of having heart failure?

B-type natriuretic peptide
Troponin
Creatinine
Hemoglobin

The correct answer is: B-type natriuretic peptide

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a hormone produced by the heart in response to excessive stretching of heart muscle cells, commonly seen in heart failure. When the heart is under stress or not pumping effectively, the levels of BNP increase significantly. This makes BNP a valuable biomarker for diagnosing and managing heart failure. In clinical practice, elevated BNP levels are used to differentiate heart failure from other causes of dyspnea. It helps to confirm the diagnosis when the clinical picture is uncertain. While troponin is useful for diagnosing acute coronary syndromes, it is not specific to heart failure. Additionally, elevated creatinine can indicate kidney impairment and is often seen in patients with heart failure, but it is not a direct marker of heart failure itself. Hemoglobin levels do not directly indicate heart failure and are influenced by a variety of other conditions. Thus, BNP is the most direct and relevant laboratory finding associated with heart failure.