Which cardiac biomarker is the gold standard for diagnosing acute myocardial infarction due to its high sensitivity and myocardial specificity?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. Cardiac Troponin I or T
- Step 1: The diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction requires detection of a rise or fall in cardiac biomarkers with at least one value exceeding the 99th percentile upper reference limit.
- Step 2: Cardiac Troponin I and Cardiac Troponin T (cTnI / cTnT) are structural proteins unique to cardiomyocytes that provide superior tissue specificity and sensitivity compared to CK-MB or myoglobin.
- Step 3: As a result, cardiac troponins represent the established clinical gold standard.
Answer
Cardiac Troponin I or T.
Why not the others: CK-MB has a shorter diagnostic window and lower cardiac specificity, myoglobin lacks myocardial specificity, and LDH is outdated due to non-specific elevation in hemolysis.
Practise more Diagnostic Pathology and Therapeutics.
Free questions with an explanation for every one, and full timed DHA Dubai mock tests.
More Diagnostic Pathology and Therapeutics questions
- A 58-year-old male presents with sudden-onset substernal chest pressure radiating to the left jaw. The ECG demonstrates 2.5 mm ST-segment el…
- A 32-year-old woman presents with fatigue, weight gain, cold intolerance, constipation, and periorbital puffiness. Laboratory testing reveal…
- Which oral hypoglycemic agent from the biguanide class is first-line pharmacotherapy for type 2 diabetes mellitus in patients with preserved…
- A 65-year-old patient with chronic kidney disease (eGFR ) presents with peaked T waves on 12-lead ECG. What life-threateni…
- What is the emergency cardiac membrane-stabilizing agent administered immediately in severe hyperkalemia with ECG changes?
- What is the most common causative bacterial pathogen in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in immunocompetent adults?