Ricerc@Sapienza

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a cardiac hormone belonging to the family of natriuretic peptides (NPs). ANP exerts diuretic, natriuretic, and vasodilatory effects that contribute to maintain water–salt balance and regulate blood pressure. Besides these systemic properties, ANP displays important pleiotropic effects in the heart and in the vascular system that are independent of blood pressure regulation. These functions occur through autocrine and paracrine mechanisms.

Current international guidelines recommend switching angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-i) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) to sacubitril/valsartan (S/V) in stable outpatients affected by heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) who remain symptomatic despite being on optimal medical therapy. Since these guidelines were published, new data may support further clinical applications and benefits of S/V beyond ambulatory HFrEF patients.

BACKGROUND:
Obesity has been suggested to confer a survival benefit in acute heart failure. The concentrations of NT-proBNP may be reduced in patients with high body mass index (BMI).

OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the relationship among BMI, NT-proBNP, and mortality risk in decompensated chronic heart failure (DCHF).

METHODS:
This was a retrospective study. We studied 1001 patients with DCHF. Hazard ratios (HR) were calculated with Cox regression analysis.