{
  "id": 1838290,
  "title": "Heart stress based on NT-proBNP changes may improve CVD risk stratification",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/heart-stress-based-on-nt-probnp-changes-may-improve-cvd-risk",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-19T01:00:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-heart-stress-based-nt-probnp.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that changes in a specific heart stress biomarker called NT-proBNP over a three-year period may help improve the prediction of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and mortality in older adults without a prior history of CVD. Researchers led by Anping Cai from Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China, analyzed data from 8,454 individuals who were initially free of CVD and had their NT-proBNP levels measured at the start of the study and again after three years. Participants were then categorized based on their NT-proBNP status, which included persistently low levels, remission of elevated levels, new elevations, or consistently elevated levels. Over an average follow-up period of 8 years, the study observed higher risks of CVD and all-cause mortality for those with new or persistent elevations in NT-proBNP compared to the group with persistently low levels. Specifically, the adjusted absolute risks for CVD increased by 7.4% and 6.7% for the new and persistent groups, respectively, while the risk of all-cause mortality rose by 6.1% and 7.5%, respectively. Remarkably, those whose NT-proBNP levels subsequently decreased to normal levels exhibited risk levels comparable to the group with consistently low levels. The authors emphasize the need for further research to determine if monitoring NT-proBNP changes could inform healthcare decisions to better manage CVD risk and mortality in the older adult population.",
  "summary": "For community-dwelling older adults, longitudinal changes in N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentrations (heart stress [HS]) may improve risk stratification for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality, according to a study published online Aug. 18 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.",
  "key_points": [
    "NT-proBNP changes over three years may improve CVD risk prediction",
    "Older adults without prior CVD history studied in China",
    "New or persistent elevations in NT-proBNP linked to higher risks"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Monitoring changes in NT-proBNP levels over time may help refine cardiovascular disease risk assessment and inform healthcare decisions for older adults, potentially leading to better management of CVD risk and mortality.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}