BNP assays: predicting the future of CHF patients.

摘要

Over 5 million Americans have heart failure (HF) and 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.' The incidence and increasing prevalence of HF is attributed to the aging population and improved survival from other cardiovascular disorders like coronary artery disease.1 Mortality rates for HF are high; 1 in 5 die within 1 year of diagnosis. Eighty percent of men and 70% of women under 65 years of age who have congestive heart failure (CHF) will die within 8 years of diagnosis. Survival is poorer in men than in women, but fewer than 15% of women survive more than 8 to 12 years.Primary care is frequently the point of entry for patients with HF when signs and symptoms develop insidiously. Early detection of disease or exacerbation is dependent on a rapid, accurate diagnosis, which is often difficult based solely on clinical presentation and physical examination.