Can brain natriuretic peptide identify noncardiac surgery patients at high risk for cardiac events?

Abstract

Emerging data indicate that preoperative test-ing for brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and itsrelated compound, NT-proBNP, is beneficial in iden-tifying patients at high risk for major adverse cardiacevents following noncardiac surgery. These majorevents include acute coronary syndromes, arrhyth-mias, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke,which constitute a significant source of morbidity andmortality in the perioperative period.