Ace the 2025 CCRP Challenge – Pump Up Your Cardiac Rehab Skills!

Troponin is the primary biomarker used to diagnose myocardial infarction because it is a protein found in cardiac muscle that is released into the bloodstream when there is damage to the heart. During a myocardial infarction, the heart muscle experiences injury due to a lack of blood flow, leading to the release of troponin into the circulation. Elevated levels of troponin in the blood are a specific indication of heart damage and are considered the gold standard in the diagnosis of myocardial infarction.

Troponin testing has high sensitivity and specificity for detecting heart damage, making it a crucial tool in both emergency and clinical settings. The biomarker allows healthcare providers to make timely decisions regarding patient management and treatment following a suspected heart attack.

Other biomarkers, such as creatinine, B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serve different roles in clinical settings. Creatinine is primarily used to assess kidney function. BNP is used primarily in diagnosing heart failure, and LDH, while it can be associated with tissue damage, is not specific to myocardial infarction and has largely been replaced by troponin in this context.