Pulmonary edema was diagnosed on the basis of clinical symptoms (dyspnea, orthopnea, bilateral abnormalities on auscultation: crackles), high NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro—brain natriuretic protein) level, and typical abnormalities indicating edema visible in a chest X-ray and echocardiography. The gene discussed is NPPB; the disease is pulmonary edema.