Does anyone know about cardiac enzymes?

[LadyoftheMist]

I have been to the ER three times last week and once this week with chest pain. My doctor says I have angina and have nitro tablets to take. My question is when I go to the ER and have the blood drawn my cardiac enzymes are elavated and I have to stay to have more blood work drawn, the second set of blood work does not have elvated cardiac enzymes. Can anyone answer why that is?

[anacyde]

It sounds like you've experienced a false positive.  I had one, and it can play havoc with anxiety, can't it?  Cardiac enzymes are specific blood levels that indicate that some damage is being done to your heart, and this usually indicates a heart attack.  However, there is a high rate of false positives (can be 1 in 20 tests!).  If there is doubt, a repeat enzyme can be drawn.  If the enzymes are not elevated in the second test, they never were.  The specific one, Troponin, will remain elevated for days or weeks.  A negative immediately after a positive means it never really was elevated in the first place.  It means you're okay.

Hope that helps :)

[PikaPika88]

I've a chest pain few months ago.  My enzymes didn't elevate for first and last.  I was given aspirin and nitro too at the ER.  The Paramedic also said my pain was at the back chest is not a heart attack.  My cardio said could be mini heart attack that's why the enzymes didn't elevate.

Few months later, an echo showed I've infarction.  Follow with an angiogram proved all my vessels are clear and no blockage.  Angiogram Dr (also the echo reader) said there was no infarction.  He didn't realise that the pacemaker is sitting at there!  He walked away!  My pacer is sitting on the right side of my upper chest wall!  Unless my pacemaker can walk across my chest???