Improved cardiac patient management through cardiac markers

Abstract

Cardiac markers enable the diagnosis and characterization of cardiac diseases. While the highly sensitive troponin assay is specific for myocardial infarction, myeloperoxidase is a powerful tool for early determination of plaque formation. Homocysteine is independently associated with numerous neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular events and stroke in particular. Elevated plasma concentrations predict outcome and help identify high-risk groups most likely to benefit from prevention and therapy. Homocysteine turned out as a valuable marker for early diagnoses of folate and B-vitamin deficiencies that are involved in anemia's and numerous chronic diseases. This article presents the innovative marker MPO, the well established marker troponin and the versatile and useful marker homocysteine, and explains their importance in cardiac patient management.

Keywords

• cardiovascular disease
• dementia
• homocysteine
• myeloperoxidase
• myocardial infarction
• troponin