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.
A: Your cardiologist ordered the BNP blood test to determine whether your symptoms of dyspnea (difficulty breathing) could be caused by heart failure. BNP is shorthand for brain (or B-type) natriuretic peptide. The name is somewhat misleading, as BNP has nothing to do with the human brain. BNP is a naturally occurring signaling hormone in the blood, and is produced by human heart muscle. Because the molecule was first discovered in the brain tissue of pigs, however, the âbrainâ term has persisted.