Cardiac markers are proteins and enzymes released into the blood when the heart muscle is damaged. These markers are used to diagnose heart attacks, assess heart failure, and monitor heart disease progression.
Common Cardiac Markers & Their Functions
🔹 Troponin (Troponin I & T) – The most specific and sensitive marker for detecting heart attacks. Even a slight increase indicates heart muscle damage.
🔹 Creatine Kinase-MB (CK-MB) – Measures muscle damage in the heart. It rises within hours of a heart attack and returns to normal within a few days.
🔹 Myoglobin – An early indicator of heart muscle injury but not specific to heart conditions, as it also rises due to muscle injuries.
🔹 Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) – Helps diagnose heart failure by indicating heart strain and fluid overload.
🔹 C-Reactive Protein (CRP) – Signals inflammation in the blood vessels, which can increase the risk of heart disease.
🔹 Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) – An older test that indicates tissue damage, including heart injury, but is less specific than troponin.
Why Are Cardiac Marker Tests Done?
✅ Diagnose heart attacks – Confirms if a heart attack is occurring.
✅ Monitor heart disease risk – Helps detect heart failure or coronary artery disease.
✅ Assess the severity of heart damage – Determines how much the heart muscle has been affected.
✅ Guide treatment decisions – Helps doctors decide on medication, lifestyle changes, or further testing.
Cardiac Markers
