Question

1.Apatient is having cardiac enzymes drawn to rule out a Myocardial Infarction.

a) What are the clinical indication and nursing implications for the following enzymes and their importance as a marker for Myocardial Infarction?

CK

CK-MB

Myoglobin and Troponin 1.

2.A patient has chest pains and is worried of having a second Myocardial Infarction.

a) What are the discriminating differences between chest pains from angina pectoris versus the pain associated with Myocardial Infarction.

Answer 1

1. CK ( creatinine kinase) is a type of protein known as an enzyme. The higher amount of CK ,indicates an injury or disease of the muscles , heart or brain.

CK-MB - ( Creatinine kinase -MB) is one form of CK enzyme found in heart muscle cells . It is a cardiac marker used to assist diagnosis of an acute myocardial infarction .

Myoglobin is a small protein found in heart and skeletal muscles that binds oxygen . When heart or skeletal muscle is injured, myoglobin is released into the blood.

Troponin 1 proteins are released when the heart muscle has been damaged such as occurs with a heart.  

2. Angina pectoris medically termed as chest pain. Pain in angina pectoris will subsides after taking nitroglycerin. It is the result of narrowed coronary arteries. It is the sign that heart needs rest.

Myocardial infarction is commonly called heart attack and the   pain is more severe, lasts longer and is not relieved by rest or nitroglycerin . In this the heart muscle is starved for oxygen and nutrients due to blockage in the coronary artery.