Biomarkers of heart failure.

Biomarkers can provide insights into underlying mechanisms and lead to better understanding of complex disease states. This enhanced understanding can then be integrated into disease management, which can lead to better therapies and ultimately to improved patient outcomes. The natriuretic peptides (NPs) are established cost-effective biomarkers in heart failure and have set the standard for how a well-validated biomarker can be useful in the diagnosis/prognosis, monitoring of response to therapy, and management of chronic disease. Newer biomarkers such as midregional pro-adrenomedullin, ST2, and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin are emerging as adjuncts to NPs in the management of heart failure patients.