By a covariance structure analysis in 1,252 patients with cardiac disorders, we confirmed that low BNP level, as well as hypertension, dyslipidaemia and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), but not body mass index (BMI) was significantly associated with the incidence of IHD (p < 0.001)16. Here, NPPB is linked to hypertensive disorder.