Elevated Cardiac Troponin Levels in Patients With Submassive Pulmonary Embolism

Abstract

CARDIAC troponins, which include cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and cardiac troponin T (cTnT), are highly sensitive and specific markers of myocardial injury that are being used increasingly in the assessment of patients presenting with undifferentiated chest pain or dyspnea to diagnose an acute coronary syndrome.^1-3 Cardiac troponins are more sensitive and specific markers of myocardial ischemia than the creatine kinase myocardial isoenzyme and, in general, are not influenced by acute skeletal muscle injury.⁴ However, elevated cardiac troponin levels also occur in patients with renal insufficiency⁵ and/or nonischemic cardiac conditions, such as severe congestive heart failure, myocarditis, and infiltrative cardiomyopathy.³