Publication at Second Faculty of Medicine |
2007
Abstract
The text deals with the benefit of some new biomarkers in the diagnosis of acute clinical conditions in pulmonary medicine, namely procalcitonin (PCT) in fever, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in acute dyspnoea and cardiac troponins (TnT and Tnl) in chest pain. Increased levels of PCT suggest bacterial infection and the need for antibiotic therapy.
An increase of BNP or its precursor, N-terminal proBNP, is seen in heart failure and is useful in the evaluation of acute dyspnoea, especially in patients with preexisting pulmonary disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchial asthma. In recent yegirs, TnT eind Tnl have become preferred biomarkers in diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome.