Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were the main members of the natriuretic peptide family. BNP has the effects of diuretic sodium, reducing sympathetic nervous system activity, dilating blood vessels, and improving the pathological remodeling of heart. Plasma BNP/NT-proBNP levels have been widely used in the diagnosis, severity assessment, prognosis prediction and treatment guidance of heart failure. In recent years, BNP/NT-proBNP has become a research hotspot in the diagnosis and and prognosis judgment of atrial fibrillation, recurrence of atrial fibrillation after radiofrequency ablation and cardioversion and congenital heart disease in infants and children, prediction of postoperative complications, and drug development. This article reviews the latest advances in clinical application and research progress on BNP/NT-proBNP.