Cardiac Biomarkers Are Special Kinds of Substances, Which Are Released Into the Bloodstream If Cardiovascular Health Is Affected

 

Cardiac biomarkers are used all over the world, especially in regions such as the United States. Cardiac biomarkers are biological markers measured in patients to identify heart health. They are of great importance in monitoring patients with suspected cardiac disease. They may be used in the initial diagnosis or prediction of cardiac disease. Even though they are most talked about in the context of pericardial infarction, such other diseases can cause an elevation in cardiac markers. These diseases include coronary artery disease, fatty liver and cirrhosis, and end-stage heart failure.

The use of cardiac biomarkers is not a new concept. It was first used to monitor individuals with suspected hereditary heart disease, especially by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh (US). A more recent application has focused on the measurement of protein levels in plasma. This is done by injecting mouse models with human plasma to measure changes in total antioxidant capacity, as this is associated with inflammatory and oxidative stress.

Researches have identified several proteins that are important for cardiac health. One of the most interesting findings is that these proteins can repair the damage in heart muscle cells. Other cardiac biomarkers such as blood proteins, cytokines, and other molecules are also essential to cardiac health, as are enzymes. In regions such as the United States, the increasing prevalence of heart failures has increased the requirements for cardiac biomarkers. For instance, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 6.2 million adults in the U.S. suffer from heart failure.

In this context, cardiac biomarkers can also act as a novel tool to monitor and treat muscle injury after cardiac arrest. Researchers at the University of Louisville have recently developed a novel method to measure muscle injury after cardiopulmonary arrest in patients with acute coronary syndromes. Their method exploits measurements of creatine kinase levels in plasma. Not only can the levels of this enzyme be measured in a patient with acute coronary syndromes, but the normal functioning of the creatine kinase system can predict the survival of a heart attack victim.