Identification of Previously Undiagnosed Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction: Community Screening Using Natriuretic Peptides and Electrocardiography

Abstract

In population screening for definite LVSD, consideration of plasma natriuretic peptide levels together with the presence of major ECG abnormalities and IHD history reduces by a factor of six (in comparison to consideration of plasma natriuretic peptide levels in isolation) the number of subjects requiring echocardiography to detect one case of LVSD (for BNP, 44 falling to seven). Similar improvements were evident for N-ANP and N-BNP. Inclusion of major ECG abnormalities and IHD history improves the performance of any natriuretic peptide used in screening programmes for ruling in undiagnosed LVSD.