Clinic appointment
NT-proBNP Heart Strain Test
NT-proBNP, a marker released by the heart when it is under strain.
- Doctor-reviewed results
- Laboratory analysis
- 1 to 2 working days from lab receipt
- No fasting required
What’s included
1 marker measured
NT-proBNP
A natriuretic peptide, a hormone released in larger amounts in heart disease or when a heart chamber is under extra load. It helps judge how likely heart failure is. Levels can also rise with lung, kidney or liver disease, sepsis or diabetes, and can be lower with obesity or with medicines such as diuretics and beta-blockers.
Overview
NT-proBNP is released by the heart when it is under strain, and it is the blood test UK guidance recommends when heart failure is a possibility. A low result makes heart failure unlikely; a raised one prompts an echocardiogram. It is most useful when a GP or cardiologist has asked for it, or to monitor a known heart condition.
Used by doctors to help assess heart function. This is not a substitute for emergency care: breathlessness, chest pain or swelling needs urgent medical attention, not a blood test.
Who this is for and who it isn’t
Who it’s for
- Adults aged 18 and over
- People with breathlessness on stairs or swollen ankles whose GP is investigating
- Anyone monitoring a known heart condition
Who it isn’t for
- Sudden or severe breathlessness, chest pain or fainting needs urgent care through 999, not a blood test. New or worsening breathlessness, breathlessness when lying flat, or new ankle swelling should be assessed by your GP, or NHS 111 if it is getting worse quickly. NT-proBNP rises with age, kidney disease and atrial fibrillation and is lowered by obesity, so the doctor reads it in context.
- It is not a general heart check; the Heart & Sugar Check is for risk factors.
- Anyone with a new, severe or worsening symptom: contact your GP or call NHS 111. A test you buy today is not a substitute for being examined.
Common reasons people choose this test
- Tiredness with high blood pressure or a previous heart problem
- A GP or cardiologist has asked for NT-proBNP
- Monitoring a known heart condition
These are reasons people choose to test, not signs that something is wrong. A result is one part of a picture your doctor puts together with your history and an examination.
What your result looks like
Every result is shown with the unit and the reference range exactly as the laboratory reported it, with the doctor’s note underneath.
- NT-proBNP▲ High
- Result
- 480 ng/L
- Range
- <125
| Marker | Result | Units | Range | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NT-proBNP | 480 | ng/L | <125 | ▲ High |
Doctor’s note (example)
NT-proBNP is above 400, the level at which UK guidance asks for a heart scan within six weeks when heart failure is suspected. We would phone you and write to your GP to arrange it.
Values above are examples. Your report shows your own results with the laboratory’s units and reference range for your age and sex, reviewed, signed and released by a GMC-registered doctor.
How it works
- You book your appointmentA trained clinician takes your sample at one of our London clinics. Nothing to do at home.
- The clinician takes your sampleA single clinic blood draw by a trained clinician
- The laboratory analyses itYour sample is processed for the measurements included in this test. Lab processing typically takes 1 to 2 working days from receipt of your sample.
- A doctor reviews and releases itA GMC-registered doctor reads every result and signs the report before it reaches you.
- Sample
- Clinic blood draw
- Preparation
- No fasting required
- Who it's for
- Any sex · ages 18+
How to prepare
What we can and can’t tell you
The reference range beside each result is the laboratory’s own. A result in range is not a clean bill of health and a result outside it is not a diagnosis. Most ranges cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one range. No test result replaces an examination or your own doctor’s judgement, and none of these panels is a cancer screening programme.
Read the full note
The reference range printed beside each of your results is the laboratory's own, and it is the range that applies to your result. We do not apply a second range of our own, and we do not tell you that a result the laboratory reported as normal is nonetheless too low or too high. If you see a claim elsewhere that your result ought to sit inside a narrower band than the one the laboratory printed, treat it with caution and ask your doctor.
Some assays cannot give an exact figure above or below a certain point, and those results are reported the way the laboratory sends them, for example as a value greater than a stated number. A result in range is not a clean bill of health, and a result outside a range is not a diagnosis: most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so some healthy people fall just outside them. No blood test replaces an examination, a scan or your own doctor's judgement, and none of these panels is a screening programme for cancer.
If you have a symptom that is new, severe, or getting worse, contact your GP or NHS 111 rather than waiting for a test result. In an emergency call 999.
Frequently asked questions
What levels do doctors act on?
For people with suspected heart failure, NICE advises specialist assessment and a heart scan within 6 weeks when NT-proBNP is between 400 and 2,000 ng/L, and within 2 weeks when it is above 2,000 ng/L. The laboratory's range is printed with your result, and the doctor explains what yours means.
Do I need to fast?
No.
How long do results take?
The laboratory typically takes 1 to 2 working days from receiving your sample. This does not include kit delivery, sample collection or return postage. A doctor reviews your results before they are released.
Can I choose a home kit or a clinic?
This test is a clinic blood draw, as it needs a venous sample for accuracy. We arrange a convenient appointment for you.
Is a doctor involved?
Yes. Every result is reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor who signs it off and explains what it means and what to do next.
Is it confidential?
Your results are available through your secure patient portal. Our privacy policy explains how your information is handled and when it may be shared to provide your care.
What happens to my sample and results?
Your sample is analysed at a UKAS-accredited laboratory (ISO 15189). A GMC-registered doctor then reads your result and signs the report before it is released to your secure portal. The report shows your result with its unit and the laboratory's own reference range, and the doctor's note on what it means. If your result is raised, the reviewing doctor is alerted and we contact you by phone the same working day to advise on urgent assessment, which may mean A&E, an urgent GP appointment or a scan. A result in range cannot rule out a heart or clotting problem on its own. If you develop chest pain, sudden breathlessness, fainting or a swollen, painful leg at any point, call 999 or go to A&E rather than waiting for your result.
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