Current opinion in critical care
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B-type natriuretic peptides are quantitative markers of heart failure (and/or cardiac stress) that summarize the extent of systolic and diastolic left ventricular dysfunction, valvular dysfunction, and right ventricular dysfunction. Based on the observation that heart failure is common albeit difficult to diagnose in the ICU, several studies have begun to evaluate the potential use of B-type natriuretic peptides in various ICU settings. ⋯ Although previous studies were small, they highlight the potential of using B-type natriuretic peptides as a noninvasive easily available tool to quantify cardiac stress.