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BNP #

by teri on October 18th, 2010

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.

I just talked to Dr. Rao. Gabi’s BNP number is 178… the lowest it has ever been!!!! We are just thrilled.  Her weight loss is def. due to needing more calories rather than complete heart failure.  Thank goodness!

Just for a reference, we have an HLHS friend’s BNP number has been as low as the teens.  Another HLHS friend that is on the transplant list is in the thousands.

Gabi has been as high as 1000 before her Glenn surgery about a year ago today.  A “normal” healthy person with 4 chambers would have a BNP of zero.

“When there is no struggle, there is no strength.”

Love,
Teri

From → Gabrielle Updates

3 Comments
  1. Belinda permalink

    WoW! Great news!! Just got caught up with all that has been happening with Gabi lately. Sure has been a stressful few days for you guys. Glad everything is good!!! enjoy every minute!!!

  2. Carrie permalink

    Yes ! That is such fantastic news ! What a relief. xxox

  3. Ann Hoesly permalink

    Thanks for the BNP education! Did you write that entry for World Book Encyclopedia? I laughed out loud while reading the entry about Gabbi’s hospital “visit” last week. Thanks for writing it – I have been fighting with myself over being a better advocate for Morgan for something like a simple blood test – - I needed your update to reinforce that I need to speak up more.

    A

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