B-type natriuretic peptide-guided therapy and prognosis in acutely ill patients with pulmonary disease.

Both N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) have emerged as critical diagnostic and prognostic tools for treatment of heart failure, especially in the emergency room and inpatient settings. The ability of natriuretic peptides to aid clinicians in making accurate diagnoses and optimizingtreatment has brought the biomarker much attention and has allowed it to become part of the standard of care for diagnosing and treating heart failure at many institutions around the world.