ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study evaluates the roles and the clinical effects of BNP (B-type natriuretic peptides) in patients with AMI (acute myocardial infarction). METHODS: We prospectively analyzed the cases of 20 patients with AMI who visited the Emergency Department, Sanggye Paik Hospital, during the 3 months from Dec.1 to Feb. 28,2003. We measured the BNP and the cardiac enzyme (CK-MB) at admission and at 1 day, 3 days, and 5 days after admission. The patients were divided according to LV (left ventricular) systolic function, site of infarction, infarct-related artery, 6-hour vascular patency, and pattern of BNP change. We compared the values for the BNP for parameters such as sex, age, risk factors, onset time, cardiac enzymes, ejection fraction, hospital days, and etc. RESULTS : BNP at each time was higher in cases with LVSD (LV systolic dysfunction) than it was in cases without LVSD, but no statistically significant difference etistied among the subgroup. BNP is correlated with the onset time, the hospital days, the ejection fraction, and the presence of LVSD, but not with cardiac enzyme (CK-MB) or with necrotic severity. CONCLUSION: the BNP level of a patient with AMI is a predictive marker of LVSD at any measurement time and reflects the hospital course. Thus, we can use BNP as a prognostic factor of LVSD and stratify the risk of heart failure.