Patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COPD were examined regarding chronic heart failure.
1. An interview regarding symptoms: breathlessness, orthopnoea, night cough, nocturia, walking distance.
2. Physical examination: weight and height, heart and lung auscultation, blood pressure measurement after 5 minutes' rest in the sitting position and the presence of peripheral oedema.
3. Electrocardiography.
4. Natriuretic peptide- NT-proBNP (Immulite 2500, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics AB Sweden).
5. Patients with the NT-proBNP level of \> 1200 pg/ml were referred for echocardiography to assess left ventricular function.
