Natriuretic peptides – Cardiology MCQ – Answer

Correct answer:
2. NT-proBNP has a shorter half-life
Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is secreted by ventricular myocardium in response to stretching of cardiomyocytes. BNP has vasodilative, diuretic and natriuretic activity and is a sensitive marker of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. Pro-BNP is the precursor of BNP, which is enzymatically cleaved into an inactive amino terminal fragment known as NT-proBNP and a biologically active carboxyl terminal fragment called BNP. NT-proBNP has a longer half-life (1-2 hours vs. 22 minutes) compared to BNP. Hence levels of NT-proBNP are more stable and less influenced by acute haemodynamic variations than BNP levels. For this reason, NT-proBNP levels reflect the mean values of left ventricular filling pressures over the previous 12 hours.
Back to question