Cardiac Troponins — Current Status GURPREET SINGH WANDER SUMMARY

Cardiac troponins have assumed important role in risk stratification of patients presenting in emergency room with acute chest pain. In the last fifteen years we have gained confidence in their clinical utility as markers of myocardial necrosis which is generally due to ischemia. They are more sensitive and specific than conventional markers like CK, CK-MB and LDH. Both quantitative and qualitative assays are available. Quantitative assays are point of care, relatively cheaper, results are more rapidly available and so are more popular. Qualitative assays are more sensitive, have to be conducted in the lab, blood sample collection is required and results are available after a certain period. So these are used as back up facility in most busy chest pain units