Objective To investigate the value of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) detection in the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure patients with normal ejection fraction.Methods Totally 78 elderly patient were selected in our hospital,with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥45 %,among which 52 cases of patients were consistent of heart failure criteria (heart failure group),27 cases with normal left ventricular diastolic function as control group.The echocardiographic indices of diastolic function and the change of the concentration of BNP were compared.Results As compared with heart failure group,BNP concentration (108.7 ± 32.2) ng/L vs.(190.3 ± 41.5) ng/L,left ventricular posterior wall thickness (11.3 ± 1.7) mm vs.(13.6 ± 1.4) mm,left ventricular mass index (119.3±10.2)g/m2 vs.(130.7±8.9)g/m2 were elevated in heart failure group (all P<0.01).Conclusions BNP detection can be used for a diagnosis of heart failure as a simple and easy method.The BNP and ultrasound heart beat graph combination can improve heart failure diagnostic accuracywith normal ejection fraction in elderly patients.