Telomeres are the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that affect how quickly cells age. They are combinations of DNA and protein that protect the ends of chromosomes and help them remain stable. As they become shorter, and as their structural integrity weakens, the cells age and die quicker.
See p 2392. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a neurohormone secreted mainly in the cardiac ventricles in response to volume expansion and pressure overload.1,2 Activation of BNP in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction has generated considerable interest in both its diagnostic and prognostic properties.
The BNP test is a heart failure blood test. It measures the level of a hormone in your blood called B-type Natriuretic Peptide. Your heart's pumping chambers - the ventricles - produce extra BNP when they can't pump enough blood to meet your body's needs. So if your BNP level is high, you probably have heart failure. The higher your BNP level is at diagnosis, the worse your heart failure is likely to be.