BNP in the community — Still work to be done…

The role of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) as a screening tool for left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) in primary care remains unclear. We compared the efficacy of BNP with that of a 12 lead electrocardiogram (ECG) as a screening tool for LVSD in the setting of open access echocardiography and found BNP to be more sensitive in excluding LVSD than an ECG. The use of BNP in screening for LVSD resulted in a saving of £10 per patient.