Clinical Use of Serum Biomarkers in the Prediction of Cardiovascular Risk

Abstract

Biomarkers that help predict the risk and prognosis for cardiovascular disease are discussed in this chapter. Biomarkers that appear to be useful include high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), NT-proBNP, interleukin-6 (IL-6), lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) and the troponins. However, most of the biomarkers currently available only moderately improve the predictive power of current risk models and variables that are measured routinely during the care of patients with cardiovascular disease. Measuring several of these biomarkers simultaneously may be of additional value, but there is still a need for new biomarkers that have a robust predictive power independent of that provided by the measurement of conventional risk factors.