🔬*Cardiac Enzyme Tests and Their Clinical Importance* Cardiac enzyme tests are used to assess damage to the heart muscle, especially in cases of heart attacks. Below is a ranking of these tests based on their clinical significance along with the normal values in IU/L as used in Oman. 1️⃣ *Troponin (Troponin I and Troponin T):* ✅ *Importance*: Troponin is considered the most sensitive and accurate marker for detecting heart muscle damage. ✅ *Characteristics*: It rises within 3-4 hours of damage, and remains elevated for up to two weeks, making it ideal for diagnosing heart attacks even after some time has passed. ✅ *Normal Values:* • Troponin I: Less than 0.04 ng/mL • Troponin T: Less than 0.01 ng/mL 📌 Troponin levels above 0.40 ng/mL indicate acute heart muscle damage. 2️⃣ *Creatine Kinase-MB (CK-MB):* ✅ *Importance*: CK-MB was previously used as a standard for diagnosing heart attacks, but it is less specific than troponin. ✅ *Characteristics:* CK-MB rises within 3-6 hours of heart muscle damage, peaks within 12-24 hours, and returns to normal within 48-72 hours. ✅ *Normal Values*: • 5 - 25 IU/L 3️⃣ *Total Creatine Kinase (CK):* ✅ *Importance*: Total CK is a general marker of muscle damage, but it is not specific to the heart muscle. ✅ *Characteristics*: It can be elevated in other conditions such as muscle injuries or intense physical activity, so it is not reliable alone for diagnosing heart attacks. ✅ *Normal Values:* • Men: 55 - 170 IU/L • Women: 30 - 135 IU/L 📌 💡 *Conclusion*: 🔹 Troponin is the most critical and accurate test for diagnosing heart attacks. 🔹 CK-MB may still be useful but is less sensitive and specific. 🔹 Total CK is not specific to the heart and should not be used alone for diagnosis. Written by: Said Mohammed Al Jaafari ✍🏼 #labpulse | Feel free to share the knowledge 🔄 https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaydi9IBKfi318dkau32 https://t.me/+5gSYJGj8GzM0ODE0