What causes elevated natriuretic peptide levels?
Elevated plasma levels of natriuretic peptide biomarkers are associated with a wide variety of cardiac and noncardiac causes (Table 2). These causes include heart failure (HF), acute coronary syndrome, heart muscle disease, valvular heart disease, pericardial disease, atrial fibrillation, myocarditis, cardiac surgery, cardioversion, toxic-metabolic myocardial insults, advancing age, anemia, renal failure, obstructive sleep apnea, severe pneumonia, pulmonary hypertension, critical illness, bacterial sepsis, and severe burns.