Which cardiac enzymes are indicative of a myocardial infarction?

Myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, is associated with specific biomarkers that indicate damage to the heart muscle. Elevated levels of CPK (creatine phosphokinase), specifically the CK-MB isoenzyme, as well as LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) and SGOT (serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, also known as AST or aspartate aminotransferase), signal that myocardial injury has occurred.

CPK-MB is particularly sensitive to heart tissue damage and typically begins to rise within a few hours of the onset of chest pain, peaking by about 24 hours. LDH and SGOT are also associated with tissue damage, although they can be elevated in other conditions as well. The presence of elevated levels of these enzymes is a critical component in the diagnosis of a myocardial infarction and reflects the heart’s response to injury.

In contrast, decreased levels of biomarkers like CK-MB and myoglobin, or normal lipid levels do not provide evidence of a myocardial infarction. In fact, myoglobin is typically one of the first proteins to be released after heart injury. Therefore, the elevation of the indicated cardiac enzymes is a key part of