NPPB and diastolic heart failure: Measurement of both BNP and NT-proBNP have been shown to be sensitive markers for the detection of mild systolic or diastolic heart failure or asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction,10,11 and for the diagnosis of congestive heart failure in patients with dyspnoea in an acute-care setting.12 Recent studies suggest that BNP levels are elevated in pre-eclamptics.13-16