What are the five items of cardiac biomarkers?
Cardiac biomarkers are biochemical indicators in the blood that reflect myocardial injury and are commonly used in the diagnosis and assessment of myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular diseases. Typically, the five cardiac biomarkers include troponin, creatine kinase, cardiac myoglobin, lactate dehydrogenase, and myoglobin. The details are as follows:
1. Troponin: Currently, this is the most sensitive and specific biochemical marker for diagnosing myocardial injury. When myocardial cells are damaged, troponin is released into the bloodstream. Plasma troponin levels may begin to rise as early as 3–4 hours after a myocardial infarction and can remain elevated for several days.
2. Creatine kinase (CK): This can be detected in the blood following myocardial infarction, typically rising within 6 hours of symptom onset, peaking at 12–24 hours, and returning to baseline levels within 24–48 hours. However, because creatine kinase is also present in skeletal muscle, its specificity for myocardial injury is relatively low.
3. Cardiac myoglobin: A myocardial-specific marker, its elevation correlates with the severity and prognosis of myocardial infarction. Cardiac myoglobin levels increase 4–6 hours after myocardial infarction, peak at 12–24 hours, and return to normal within 48 hours.
4. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH): An indicator of myocardial injury, LDH consists of five isoenzymes and includes isoforms originating from myocardial tissue. However, its specificity is relatively low. LDH levels usually rise only 24–72 hours after myocardial infarction.
5. Myoglobin: Released from muscle tissue into plasma, myoglobin is one of the highly specific proteins found in myocardial cells. Myoglobin levels can rise early after myocardial infarction, although the peak level is relatively low. It typically increases within 6 hours and returns to baseline within 24 hours.
Cardiac biomarkers are a group of biochemical indicators used to evaluate myocardial health and diagnose cardiovascular diseases. When potential myocardial or cardiovascular issues arise, these markers serve as important evidence for physicians' clinical assessments. Patients experiencing symptoms should seek medical attention promptly and receive standardized treatment under medical guidance, which helps promote recovery.