New biomarkers in heart failure

Biomarkers are widely utilized in clinical medicine for their representation of numerous biological processes by means of measurable variables. In heart failure, biomarkers such as natriuretic peptides and troponins have been used to indicate severity of cardiac disease, but as more information emerges from research into new biomarkers and their adjuvant use, it is becoming clear that biomarkers offer a far wider range of functional uses including risk stratification, prognostic indication and calculation of targeted therapeutic strategies. To date the majority of information available regarding the use and potential of biomarkers in heart failure has been related to adults but here we discuss the relevance to the pediatric population. With the clinical and economic worldwide significance of heart failure both in adult and pediatric populations, biomarkers have an evolving role in heart failure management.