This webinar, organized by the C-CB, will address educational issues pertaining to natriuretic peptide (NP) assays and their role in laboratory medicine and clinical practice. Presentations will address the differential diagnosis of increased NPs, review the appropriate indications for utilization of NPs for ruling in and ruling out heart failure and in assessing therapy and risk outcomes. Guideline and recommended medical decision thresholds will be addressed for appropriate NP assays use, along with educating audience on what BNP and NT-proBNP assays are measuring in health and disease.

Specifically, Drs Saenger and Kavsak will focus on the AACC and IFCC guidelines and recommendations pertaining to the analytical roles of the numerous BNP and NT-proBNP assays to better understand what forms of natriuretic peptides and their degradation products are being measured in acute and chronic heart failure patients. Further, they will address appropriate cutoff concentrations and how they should be determined for use in clinical practice. Prof. Lam with review how the similarities and potential differences for how BNP and NT-proBNP assays are used in clinical practice, along with international heart failure association practice guidelines and recommendations.