Which biomarker is preferred to detect myocardial injury?

The preferred biomarker to detect myocardial injury is troponin. Troponin is a complex of three proteins found in cardiac muscle, which plays a crucial role in muscle contraction. When myocardial injury occurs, as in the case of a heart attack or acute coronary syndrome, troponin leaks into the bloodstream. This makes it a highly sensitive and specific marker for cardiac damage.

Troponin levels rise in the blood within a few hours of the injury and can remain elevated for several days, allowing for both early and late detection of myocardial injury. Because of these characteristics, troponin is considered the gold standard in the evaluation of patients presenting with chest pain and suspected acute myocardial infarction.

In contrast, the other options serve different purposes and are not as specific for myocardial injury. For example, D-dimer is primarily used to rule out thrombotic conditions such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism and is not indicative of myocardial damage. BNP (B-type natriuretic peptide) is mainly used to assess heart failure, while C-reactive protein is a marker of inflammation and is not specific to heart tissue injury. The role of troponin as a marker for myocardial injury has become a fundamental aspect in clinical practice, helping