Med. praxi. 2026;23(1):12-16 | DOI: 10.36290/med.2025.081

New from the new year: NT-proBNP in preventive health check-ups

MUDr. Helena Kostková, Mgr. Tereza Kubecová

Všeobecné praktické lékařství, Medical JT, Praha

Heart failure is a common and prognostically serious syndrome, where early detection in primary care significantly impacts mortality, morbidity, and patients' quality of life. Natriuretic peptides, particularly NT-proBNP, have become a standard component in the diagnosis of heart failure. An amendment to the preventive check-up regulation, effective from January 1, 2026, introduces NT-proBNP testing into preventive examinations for selected risk groups. This broadens the opportunities for general practitioners to actively identify early stages of heart failure. The article outlines the key principles of NT-proBNP interpretation and highlights the main non-cardiac factors affecting NT-proBNP levels, such as obesity, age, sex, and kidney function. It emphasizes the importance of always interpreting the results within the broader clinical context, including patient history, physical examination, ECG, and comorbidities, and of integrating NT-proBNP rationally into routine practice.

Keywords: natriuretic peptide, brain, heart failure, primary prevention.

Received: December 2, 2025; Revised: December 2, 2025; Accepted: December 8, 2025; Published: March 3, 2026  Show citation