The natriuretic peptides in the diagnosis of heart failure in primary care setting br

Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome characterized by symptoms and signs caused by structural and/or functional abnormalities of the heart that cause reduced cardiac output and/or elevated intracardiac pressures at rest or during exercise. Its prevalence and incidence are increasing and it is the leading cause of hospitalization in people over 65 years of age.The new American and European guidelines for the management of HF emphasize that the measurement of natriuretic peptide (NP) concentrations constitutes a cornerstone of the diag-nostic management of HF, and that the history, physical examination, electrocardiogram, and chest X-ray, complete the beginning of the HF diagnostic process. All these actions and diag-nostic tests can be performed and requested from the primary care office.The authors of this document, on behalf of the SEMERGEN Hypertension and Cardiovascu-lar Disease Working Group, have reviewed the most recent scientific evidence related to the preventive diagnostic management of NP in patients with HF in primary care setting.(c) 2022 Sociedad Espanola de Medicos de Atencion Primaria (SEMERGEN). Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. All rights reserved.