Cost estimation of point of care B-type natriuretic peptide for the diagnosis of heart failure in the emergency department

The economic utility of BNP testing however is highly dependent on the reduction of the number of ECHOs. [...] While the first management task in the care of the dyspneic patient is correct diagnosis, CHF is one of the most difficult conditions to diagnose 2. Patients with symptoms of acute dyspnea often present at EDs and the diagnosis of CHF is primarily based on medical history, physical examination, electrocardiogram (ECG) and chest X-ray. [...] Based on their findings, the authors concluded that BNP used in conjunction with other clinical information reduced the time to the initiation of the most appropriate treatment, the need for hospitalization, time to discharge, and total cost of treatment. [...] Information Paper #25 May 2005 6 The primary weakness of the study was that the relevant costs identified were simply the cost of the BNP test and ECHO. [...] Yet, the diagnostic precision of BNP and ECHO directly influence the etiology of patients and determine the number of patients who are potentially hospitalized for CHF.