Test guide
Natriuretic Peptide Tests (BNP, NT-proBNP)
Natriuretic peptides are proteins that your heart and blood vessels make. Natriuretic peptide tests measure the amount of these proteins in a sample of your blood. They are mainly used to help confirm or rule out heart failure in people who have symptoms.
What it is for
A BNP test or an NT-proBNP test is mainly used to help diagnose or rule out heart failure in a person who is having symptoms. Shortness of breath is the most common symptom of heart failure, but other conditions can cause the same type of breathing problems. If a person with shortness of breath has normal BNP or NT-proBNP levels, heart failure can usually be ruled out. If high BNP or NT-proBNP levels are found, other tests will usually be done to confirm that heart failure is causing the symptoms. Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Medical test information is public domain. Source identity and definition checked automatically on 2026-10-18. No individual clinical interpretation or human reviewer is asserted.
Limitations
Reference intervals and interpretation depend on the laboratory, specimen, method and clinical context. This source definition is educational information; it does not establish a diagnosis, product approval or suitability for an individual.
Also known as
- brain natriuretic peptide, NT-pro B-type natriuretic peptide test, B-type natriuretic peptide, N terminal proBNP
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