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When the muscle of the heart is damaged, due to a lack of blood supply as in what happens during a heart attack, the injured muscle releases different enzymes into your blood stream. If a heart attack is expected, blood will be drawn and tested for these enzymes that can verify that a heart attack took place if the enzyme level is high enough. They will test these enzymes 2 to 3 more times, and if you got to the ER at the right time, they can pretty well tell from these consecutive readings when the heart attack occurred. There are at least two different types of tests that look for either enzymes or proteins.
If the EKG equipment is good (a 12 lead is the best), and the nurse is good at attaching the electrodes, and if the doctor is good at interpreting the EKG results, then you have good data concerning any current cardiac abnormalities of your heart, and any past damage that may have been done to it to it.
Most modern EKGs are immediately interpreted by the built in computer. The doctor has the final say though.
Quote "Cardiac Enzyme Studies
Cardiac enzyme studies measure the levels of the enzyme creatine phosphokinase (CPK, CK) and the protein troponin (TnI, TnT) in the blood. Low levels of these enzymes and proteins are normally found in your blood, but if your heart muscle is injured, such as from a heart attack, the enzymes and proteins leak out of damaged heart muscle cells, and their levels in the bloodstream rise."
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If the EKG equipment is good (a 12 lead is the best), and the nurse is good at attaching the electrodes, and if the doctor is good at interpreting the EKG results, then you have good data concerning any current cardiac abnormalities of your heart, and any past damage that may have been done to it to it.
Most modern EKGs are immediately interpreted by the built in computer. The doctor has the final say though.