Our body is a whole and a change in a part of it affects the whole. However, the component in every piece does not always get into the blood. Here is a protein called troponin is one of them. Troponin is a protein found in heart tissue. In normal times, it is not easily mixed with the blood, but as a result of an unusual change in our heart, such as a heart attack, it enters the blood.
The troponin test is done to see if troponin, a protein with different types, mixes with the blood, that is, if there is a change in our heart. This test is a special test and is not always done. If the physician suspects a heart attack or similar condition depending on the patient’s symptoms, this test is performed. Let’s take a closer look at what troponin is and see what low and high mean.
Let’s first understand what it is; What is troponin?
There are some proteins in the tissues of the heart, which is the most vital organ in our body. One of them is troponin. There are some types of troponins with names such as troponin I, troponin T, and troponin C. These are found in our heart tissue under normal conditions and do not mix with the blood. However, in cases where there is a change in the heart, a certain amount is released into the blood.
So what is the troponin test?
The troponin test is a blood test to detect the troponin protein in the blood. Troponin value is not measured in normal complete blood count tests. In cases where the physician suspects the heart according to the patient’s symptoms, the troponin test is performed by applying special procedures on the blood taken from the vascular access.
In which cases is the troponin test done?
- Suspected heart attack
- Heart failure
- tachycardia
- acute inflammatory myocarditis
- hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Aortic dissection
- broken heart syndrome
- aortic valve disease
- bradyarrhythmia
In general, these are the situations where the troponin test is desired. Although the names are a bit confusing, all of these are actually heart diseases. If you do not have a chronic heart disease, most of the time, the troponin test requested from the person is done to check whether he has had a heart attack.
When you go to the emergency room of a hospital with complaints such as pain in your neck, back, arm or jaw and intense sweating, dizziness, nausea, and shortness of breath, you will be given a troponin test in addition to the physical examination and EKG test. Because these are all signs of a heart attack.
What should be the ideal troponin value?
Although it varies according to the age, gender, diseases and many different conditions of the person, the ideal troponin value should be below 2 ng / dl for troponin T and between 0.03 and 0.06 for troponin I. Of course, if your troponin value is higher than this range, it does not always mean that there is a big problem.
Why does troponin rise, what does its height mean?
Let’s be clear, if troponin is elevated in a healthy individual, it is first suspected of having a heart attack. However, this is not always the case. Even if you exercised excessively that day, your troponin value may be high. In the case of myocarditis, known as heart muscle inflammation, and congestive heart failure, your troponin value may also increase.
Many different infections are also known to increase troponin levels. In addition to these, chronic heart diseases, chronic drug use, stroke, COPD, sepsis and similar diseases can also increase troponin levels. In other words, the level of troponin in your blood can rise due to many different reasons.
What does low troponin mean?
In fact, there is no medical condition called low troponin. Under normal conditions, the troponin ratio in your blood is expected to be as low as possible. Of course, if your troponin ratio was high in the previous tests and it went down to normal levels after the treatment, this may be called low troponin.
When does the high troponin value return to normal?
If the reason for the high troponin level in your blood is a previous heart attack or a different non-chronic condition, it is expected to decrease to its normal value within 1 or 2 weeks. However, if your troponin value is high due to a chronic disease or a drug used, the normalization of this value will depend entirely on your treatment.
Can a heart attack be detected from a troponin test?
A high value in the troponin test may indicate a heart attack, but different tests can be done to make a definitive diagnosis of a heart attack. In some cases, the troponin test is repeated within 2 or 4 hours and the result is evaluated accordingly.
In some cases, the value may increase in repeated troponin testing, but this does not necessarily mean a heart attack. In cases where the heart vessels are blocked, the troponin value may increase. Likewise, the troponin value may increase in different heart diseases. So, although the troponin value does not necessarily mean a heart attack, it definitely indicates heart damage.
So what shall we do?
First of all, take care of your heart. Eat healthy, exercise regularly, avoid stress and don’t smoke. You should know your own body very well. When you experience chest pain, shortness of breath and similar problems, you should understand very well whether it is because of the heart or for a different reason.
If you suspect that you are having a heart attack, immediately inform a relative and go to the nearest health facility. Of course, do not make this situation an object of anxiety, otherwise you will suffer from panic attacks, but if you know yourself well, you will understand the unusual situations much more easily and provide quick intervention.
We answered questions such as what is troponin in the blood, which is the biggest sign of heart damage, what does its height mean, and how much should it be? What we describe is for informational purposes only. Do not forget that you should get the most accurate and specific information about your troponin value from a specialist physician, as in all health issues.
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