High BNP test results

I searched the forum and can't find anything on this. How often do people here have elevated BNP from Afib or other heart issues? The range is pretty low under 125 to considered normal and my BNP (Brain Natriuretic Peptide) is usually in the 2000 range. I have read people as high as 17k which seems extreme. Even at 2k plus that is 20x the normal range.

How much weight should be put into BNP levels if Afib or other arrhythmias are present? What seems odd to me is prior to my surgery for my mitral valve and a Maze procedure my BNP was around 2100. After the surgery my BNP was 2900. I believe both of those tests were N-Terminal Pro-BNP. But any BNP test I've ever had was elevated.

How many others here have highly elevated BNP and what is the concern from it?

Following my most recent cardioversion the test indicated BNP at 166 and they indicated it as high. Checking back on other tests prior to that one, that result was never included

166 is slightly high. I wish I was 166 lol. My cardiologist wasn't overly concerned about me being over 2000 as I had a mitral valve with prolapse and severe regurgitation so they said they expected a high BNP because of that.

I've now had successful surgery to repair the mitral valve and have trace regurgitation but my BNP is still high. Actually it's higher. I am guessing enough time hasn't passed since my surgery to make any noticeable progress but I'll ask my EP. I searched BNP and to my surprise not a single post regarding it is on this forum. I just was hoping for some clarity on the 2000+ number and how concerning that should be.

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cornerbax
I searched BNP and to my surprise not a single post regarding it is on this forum.

If you do an advanced search for BNP with all dates and all forums, you will find quite a lot of posts.

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Daisy

I searched BNP and to my surprise not a single post regarding it is on this forum.

If you do an advanced search for BNP with all dates and all forums, you will find quite a lot of posts.

Here is such a search.

I just searched as I normally do and put BNP in the wording and nothing came up. I just clicked the link George posted and there are only a total of 4-5 posts and most of them have nothing at all to say regarding BNP so I'm not sure why they even pulled up.

Only two posts (not counting this one I started) discuss BNP In any regard and even those posts are focused on other things like kidney function or high heart rate. Did you click the link you posted George? Is there a different search I'm missing.

I do think being in tachycardia and/or flutter may be affecting my BNP numbers. I'll ask my EP on this. I wish I had taken a BNP test the first week I was in NSR just to see if there was a much lower BNP number at that time.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/21/2024 10:04AM by cornerbax.

Mine was high during an EP visit and gradually went down during my hospital stay. The doctors were not concerned. But maybe your score was higher

When you say yours was high anything over 125 is cosidered high. Do you know what your BNP number was?

Mine has been over 2000 and my cardiologist said they expected that because of my severe mitral regurgitation and 100% afib burden. They said they expected that and weren't concerned. That was prior to my surgery. The concern I have now is I'm still over 2000 and I have virtually no mitral valve regurgitation nor am I in afib much or at all. I am in Sinus Tachycardia and/or aflutter so I'm sure that didn't help the BNP numbers. I wish I would of had a BNP test within the first week post surgery when I was constantly in NSR. Hopefully I'll get into NSR soon and take another BNP test as I have had four total the Last two years and all have been around the same number. I'd definitely like to see a lower number.

My recollection, from when I was thinking about this years ago was with bnp associated with afib causing polyuria.

Here is a Google scholar search on bnp & afib [scholar.google.com]

Same for atrial flutter: [scholar.google.com]

Yep, I know a guy who produces a ridiculous amount of urine when he's in afib. He'll have to empty his bladder every 30 minutes or so. I have no idea what his BNP levels are during afib, but you can bet they're high, and I would bet the tachycardia is doing the same to you.

Every 30 minutes emptying his bladder... He needs a portable port -o-potty. Lol. Your assessment of tachycardia or flutter causing the high BNP numbers I am pretty sure are correct. I will ask my EP this in two weeks when I meet with them. They didn't seem overly concerned about the 2000+ number but reading so many different things how it can affect life expectancy etc it's definitely a concern. It does seem like In certain cases if other areas are good that it's not as big of an issue but I would still like to know worst case scenario if my BNP remains in the 2k range.

Hopefully I'it ll get back in and stay in NSR have a normal BNP and not worry about it at all.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/21/2024 10:05PM by cornerbax.

When I go into A Fib I urinate every 30 minutes and I mean a full amount, crazy as I have no idea where it all comes from! EP said this is very common. I am lucky my A Fib events only last for 1 to 2 hours.

That was very hard for me too in the early days when I was getting Afib with RVR (Cardiologist had given me no meds!)—urinating about every half hour and near syncope as I made my way to the bathroom!

I was in afib 100% of the time for well over a year straight and had no symptoms at all even at a rate over 100bpm. I also never had any issues with urinating a lot. This is the first I've heard of this and I am guessing BNP levels play a roll in frequent urination?

If that is the case it's even more odd in my situation as I was in afib 100% of the time had no symptoms (unless lots of exertion) and didn't pee any more then normal.

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cornerbax
I am guessing BNP levels play a roll in frequent urination?

Oh yeah. BNP = B-type natriuretic peptide. Guess what natriuretic means. It means something that tells your kidneys to excrete more water. BNP and ANP are secreted by your heart, particularly your left and right atrial appendages. So during afib, flutter, or really any sort of tachycardia, your heart tends to produce more ANP and BNP, and many people find themselves peeing more because of that. But oddly not all. I never did and apparently neither do you.

I know you're probably getting freaked out by googling BNP because you're coming across a bunch of articles about elevated BNP and heart failure, but that's the problem with Dr. Google. There are lots of ways for BNP to be elevated that having nothing to do with heart failure. Don't obsess about your BNP numbers. They probably don't mean much.

Carey, once again I greatly appreciate your info and response. So you didn't have the same issue with frequent urination either? It's interesting, I wonder what percentage of people do have that issue and what percentage don't. From your description I would have to think many more DO have the issue then not.

I can go 6 hours without peeing or more if I had too. I do get up once at night to pee but if I'm really exhausted I sleep straight through. And the same when I was in Afib 100% of the time with an equally high BNP.

You and my doctor said the same thing about BNP that in my case don't worry about it. They are more focused in getting my EF up with medications as it dropped after surgery. They expected this and told me it would likely drop but I have no symptoms whatsoever and even with flutter or afib or tachycardia....since the surgery I have more energy then I've had in a decade or longer. Getting 100% of the blood to my body vs 50% definitely works lol.

Thanks again for the great info. If my doctor isn't worried about it I won't check Google because you nailed it on the head. People freaking out over 200-600 BNP numbers and I'm at over 2000. I did read people in the 10000 range and one as high as 17000. 2000 doesn't sound so bad when compared to those numbers. Thanks again for all the great feedback and info.

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cornerbax
When you say yours was high anything over 125 is cosidered high. Do you know what your BNP number was?

Mine has been over 2000 and my cardiologist said they expected that because of my severe mitral regurgitation and 100% afib burden. They said they expected that and weren't concerned. That was prior to my surgery. The concern I have now is I'm still over 2000 and I have virtually no mitral valve regurgitation nor am I in afib much or at all. I am in Sinus Tachycardia and/or aflutter so I'm sure that didn't help the BNP numbers. I wish I would have had a BNP test within the first week post surgery when I was constantly in NSR. Hopefully I'll get into NSR soon and take another BNP test as I have had four total the Last two years and all have been around the same number. I'd definitely like to see a lower number.

Mine was 138 in 2022.
Urine dumps were also mentioned on this thread- my highest once at the icu was 1500ml, the next 1500ml as well and the third 750. That was during my vtach in 2019. I wished I can locate my BNP at that time. I’m going to check if I can find it. Probably was high.

Edited: I checked. 230. Wow.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2024 11:17AM by susan.d.

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cornerbax
I wonder what percentage of people do have that issue and what percentage don't. From your description I would have to think many more DO have the issue then not.

I can go 6 hours without peeing or more if I had too. I do get up once at night to pee but if I'm really exhausted I sleep straight through. And the same when I was in Afib 100% of the time with an equally high BNP.

It was a fairly common item of discussion here in the 2000's, so I'd guess the % is fairly high. I have it to a certain degree. I'm wondering if BNP is continually high if the kidney starts to ignore the signal. That seems to be common among other signals.

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cornerbax
I wonder what percentage of people do have that issue and what percentage don't.

I only had this (and it was intense) when my rate was very high--like over 150. That might or might not be true for others. As soon as I was on meds that lowered the rate, I never had it again.

I don't know what my BNP level was, but when I was in persistent AFIB I could literally use the restroom and have to turn around and go back. Now, when I get a couple of hours of PACs going, it's almost as bad.