Spotting failing hearts

Congestive heart failure claims thousands of lives each year, in part because it can be difficult to detect in its earliest stages. But that is changing, thanks to a simple blood test.

Advocate Christ Medical Center is one of the first institutions in Illinois to offer the test, which doctors can use to diagnose congestive heart failure (CHF) and determine its severity. Recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration, the test measures the amount of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in a person’s bloodstream. The naturally occurring hormone regulates blood pressure and fluid balances and helps the heart work more efficiently. Elevated levels indicate the presence of congestive heart disease.

“The higher the level of BNP, the more advanced the congestive heart disease,” explains Marc Silver, M.D., a cardiologist and director of the Heart Failure Institute at Christ Medical Center. “This test gives us a fast and easy way to diagnose the disease in it’s earliest stages.”

For a copy of our cardiac care brochure, call 1.800.3.ADVOCATE (1.800.323.8622).