NPPB and COVID-19: Preliminary evidence suggests that the onset of cardiac involvement in patients with COVID-19 generally correlates with significant worsening of clinical status and more frequent onset of heart failure (as evidenced by rise in brain natriuretic peptide [BNP], a marker of fluid retention), heightened need for tracheal intubation or mechanical artificial respiration, and greater mortality (2, 5, 7, 18–20, 26).