Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Modeling and Evaluation of Murine Diabetic Cardiomyopathy Model
Published on: November 29, 2024
B-type natriuretic peptide can detect silent myocardial ischaemia in asymptomatic type 2 diabetes
B S Rana1, J I Davies, M M Band
1Division of Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK.
Objective:
To find out whether B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) detects silent myocardial ischaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes, since many of these patients have silent ischaemia leading to unexpected cardiac deaths.
Design:
Prospective cross-sectional study with consecutive recruitment of patients.
Setting:
Outpatient, single centre.
Patients:
219 patients with type 2 diabetes. Patients were excluded if they had a history or evidence of cardiac failure.
Outcome Measures:
BNP, echocardiography and exercise tolerance test (ETT). BNP was compared with the ETT result in all patients and specifically in those who had no apparent ischaemic heart disease (IHD).
Results:
121 patients had no history of IHD or cardiac failure and of these patients 85 had a clearly abnormal or normal ETT result. BNP was higher in patients with an abnormal than with a normal ETT (mean 58.2 (SD 46.3) v 24.4 (SD 15.7) pg/ml, p < 0.001). In univariate analysis BNP was an independent predictor of an abnormal ETT (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis BNP remained an independent predictor of the ETT result. BNP concentration over 20 pg/ml predicted an abnormal ETT result with a sensitivity of 87% and specificity of 37%, and BNP over 40 pg/ml had a sensitivity of 63% and a specificity of 81%.
Conclusion:
BNP is of value in predicting silent ischaemia on exercise testing in asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes.
Related Concept Videos
Type II Diabetes Mellitus III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnosis
Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System II: CRP, Hcy, and Cardiac Natriuretic Peptide Markers
These markers indicate stress or strain on the heart muscle:
Natriuretic Peptides (BNP)
Cardiac myocytes produce these hormones in response to ventricular stretching...
Diabetic Nephropathy
Type II Diabetes I: Introduction
Type I Diabetes III: Clinical Manifestations
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational