A cardiac biomarker is a protein-based molecule that may be measured to aid in the prognostic and diagnostic evaluation of heart diseases. Cardiac biomarkers are released into the bloodstream when the heart is injured or stressed, such as from a lack of oxygen. Cardiovascular biomarkers such as cardiac troponin, creatinine kinase, myoglobin, and others are measured to diagnose disorders such as acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and cardiac ischemia.
ACS is caused by plaque formation in the arteries, which results in arterial wall constriction. When a plaque ruptures, the amount of oxygenated blood reaching the heart suddenly decreases. Prolonged chest discomfort is caused by a lack of blood flow. Cardiac ischemia, on the other hand, lowers the capacity of heart muscles to pump enough blood to fulfill the needs of heart cells. Shortness of breath, chest discomfort, sweating, and other symptoms are caused by a decrease in blood flow. A prolonged blockage of blood flow might result in the death of cardiac cells. This is known as an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or a heart attack. Permanent cardiac muscle injury can cause irregular heart contractions, often known as arrhythmia, which can be deadly. Cardiac biomarkers are critical tools for properly detecting the existence of ACS or cardiac ischemia in patients as well as assessing the severity of their diseases.
What are the many kinds of cardiac biomarkers?
- Cardiac Biomarkers (Blood) By far the most often utilized biomarker is this protein. It has the greatest sensitivity ever recorded.
- Creatinine kinase (CK). This enzyme can also be evaluated many times throughout the course of a 24-hour period.
- CK-MB. This is a CK subtype.
- Myoglobin This is a tiny oxygen-storing protein.
Which cardiac biomarker elevated first?
CK stands for creatine kinase. AST was the first cardiac biomarker to be employed in 1954. The liver, heart, skeletal muscles, brain, and kidneys all contain AST. It is no longer utilized to diagnose AMI due to its lack of specificity to heart tissue (12,13).