NPPB and heart failure: Risk ratios (top third vs bottom third of NT-proBNP concentration) adjusted for conventional risk factors were 1·76 (95% CI 1·56–1·98) for the combination of coronary heart disease and stroke; 2·00 (1·77–2·26) for the combination of coronary heart disease, stroke, and heart failure; 1·67 (1·45–1·93) for coronary heart disease; 1·81 (1·58–2·07) for stroke; 3·45 (2·66–4·46) for heart failure; and 3·11 (2·34–4·15) for cardiovascular disease deaths due to additional causes (figure 2; appendix p 30).