NPPB and heart failure: The results showed that in the HF group, the left ventricular end-systolic (LVDs) and diastolic (LVDd) were significantly increased, LVEF and LVFS were reduced (Figure 1(a), P < 0.05), and the level of heart failure biomarkers BNP and NT-proBNP in plasma were both increased (Figure 1(b), P < 0.05).