Take 5 – Normal ranges for plasma BNP and NT-proBNP

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a neurohormone released by the ventricles in response to fluid overload. BNP levels can be used to distinguish heart failure from other noncardiac disorders that cause dyspnea and fatigue. Below are the normal ranges for BNP levels:

BNP
Age	Women	Men
45 to 54	8 to 73 pg/mL	4 to 40 pg/mL
55 to 64	10 to 93 pg/mL	5 to 52 pg/mL
65 to 74	13 to 120 pg/mL	7 to 67 pg/mL
75 to 83	16 to 155 pg/mL	9 to 86 pg/mL

NT-proBNP, or N-terminal proBNP is the inactive molecule that results when the precursor molecule to BNP splits. The half-life of NT-proBNP is longer, providing more stability in the concentration of this molecule. The normal ranges for NT-proBNP are below:

NT-proBNP
Age	Women	Men
45 to 59	61 to 164 pg/mL	28 to 100 pg/mL
60 and up	86 to 225 pg/mL	53 to 172 pg/mL

Reference

Frazier, S.K., & Arthur, E.K. (2009). BNP assays: Predicting the future of patients with heart failure. Nursing2009 Critical Care, 4(6).