Patients with elevated Nt-proBNP ratio were older, more often male and had more hypertension, renal insufficiency and CAD, thus more elevated EuroScore II (all p≤0.01; table 1), but less bicuspid aortic valve than patients with normal Nt-proBNP ratio (ie, ≤1). The gene discussed is NPPB; the disease is hypertensive disorder.