Final answer:
Cardiac troponin T and I are protein markers used to diagnose myocardial infarction alongside ECG changes and other tests. Creatine phosphokinase (CPK) is also a marker that can indicate an MI. While these markers are essential for detecting heart attacks, they do not diagnose other conditions such as heart failure or arrhythmias.
Step-by-step explanation:
Detection of Myocardial Infarction
The terms Cardiac troponin T and Cardiac troponin I refer to protein markers that are highly specific to heart muscle cells and are used in assays to help diagnose myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack. These assays are significant because they are sensitive and can detect very small amounts of these proteins in the blood following the damage to the heart muscle. When a patient experiences a heart attack, the blood levels of cardiac troponins increase, and this is a crucial diagnostic tool alongside other methods such as electrocardiogram (ECG) readings, which may show specific changes such as ST-segment elevation or Q wave anomalies indicative of an MI.
Apart from troponins, Creatine phosphokinase (CPK), in particular, its MB isoenzyme, is another biomarker that can indicate an MI due to its increase in the blood soon after a heart attack. However, the role of CPK is not limited to MI diagnosis; it is a marker enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of creatine to phosphocreatine, consuming ATP.
An MI can be further confirmed and categorized through ECG analysis, revealing patterns such as ST-elevated MI (STEMI) or non-ST-elevated MI (non-STEMI). Furthermore, tests like echocardiography or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging may be used to visualize heart function more clearly. It's important to note that while troponins are crucial in diagnosing MI, they do not diagnose conditions like heart failure, ventricular tachycardia, or atrial fibrillation.