Usefulness of plasma brain natriuretic peptide levels in predicting dobutamine-induced myocardial ischemia

Plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels have been associated with left ventricular dysfunction and acute myocardial infarction. Although natriuretic peptide responses have been linked to exercise-induced myocardial ischemia, it is not known whether BNP levels predict dobutamine-induced myocardial ischemia. The aim of this study was to determine whether elevations in BNP levels immediately before or after dobutamine-induced stress are associated with echocardiographic myocardial ischemia. Plasma BNP was measured before and after stress during dobutamine-stress echocardiography in 317 patients (aged 68 ± 11 years; 46% women) who had creatinine