Troponin, an important protein that’s commonly found in the heart muscles, plays a crucial role in the contraction of cardiac and skeletal muscles. The role of skeletal muscles is to help you move your limbs or other body parts, and the heart (cardiac) muscles act as the machinery to keep the heart pumping, so that it can send blood to the various parts of the body. There are several conditions that can damage these muscles and can result in serious disorders.
Troponin is not usually found in blood unless your heart muscles have experienced some damage. In case of some adverse symptoms like chest pain, difficulty in breathing, breathlessness on exertion, a simple blood test, namely the Troponin T test, will be conducted.
If the blood sample shows high troponin T levels, it indicates that there is some amount of injury to the cardiac muscles. There are various reasons this might happen, but the most common reason for elevated troponin T levels to appear into your bloodstream is a heart attack also called a myocardial infarction.
So, what’s the role of this test, and why is it important for the patients? Let’s dive deeper into the article to learn more about the importance of this test in preventing heart attacks and other diseases.
Why is the Troponin T Test Performed?
The human heart muscles work tirelessly to pump oxygen rich blood to all the parts of the body and support various other functions. The healthy beating of the heart ensures that the blood flows to all tissues of the body to delivery oxygen, nutrients, hormones etc without experiencing any congestion or blockage
A heart attack represents a significant health risk, where the coronary arteries restrict or block blood flow, leading to a deprivation of oxygen to the heart muscles and cells. During this critical period, troponin proteins are released into the bloodstream.
This protein serves as a biomarker, signalling potential injury to the cardiac muscles. Therefore, it is highly advisable for individuals to undergo the Troponin T test at the onset of any symptoms suggestive of a potential heart attack. This test aims to identify low levels of Troponin T in the blood, enabling early intervention to prevent a heart attack.
Moreover, conducting these tests proactively offers the added benefit of allowing doctors to diagnose various adverse heart health conditions such as cardiomyopathy, angina, congestive heart failure, among others. Timely identification of these conditions enables prompt initiation of treatment.
Also Read: Difference Between a Heart Attack and a Cardiac Arrest?
When Should One Seek To Test For Troponin T ?
The timing for undergoing the Troponin T test is contingent upon the specific purpose outlined by your doctor.
The Troponin T test serves two primary purposes. Firstly, it aids in diagnosing the extent of damage incurred by an individual following a heart attack. Secondly, it is employed as a preventive measure when certain symptoms indicative of poor heart health are detected.
This proactive approach is justified by the fact that troponin begins to leak into the bloodstream well before the onset of a heart attack. By administering the test, doctors can identify even minimal traces of troponin in the blood, enabling them to provide guidance on preventive measures against an impending heart attack or other adverse conditions.
Symptoms considered by doctors as potential indicators of poor heart health include:
- Discomfort or pain in the chest.
- Pain in the neck, arm, upper abdomen, shoulder, or jaw.
- Shortness of breath.
- Nausea.
- Persistent sweating.
- Rapid heart rate.
- Unexplained weakness.
If you experience any of these symptoms for a specific duration, it is crucial to consult with your doctor. Whether you have a history of heart health issues or are encountering these symptoms for the first time, your doctor is likely to recommend the Troponin T blood test as a primary diagnostic tool.
How to Interpret the Troponin T Test Results?
Routine blood tests lack the efficiency to accurately measure troponin levels, necessitating a dedicated diagnostic test like the Troponin T test. As per American Board of Internal Medicine, normal Troponin T levels are 0 – 0.01 ng/mL.
Troponin T: Elevated Troponin T levels beyond 0.40 ng/ml in test results indicate an increased risk of a heart attack for individuals. Several other diseases can also contribute to heightened troponin levels in the bloodstream, including:
- Blockage in the lung artery.
- High blood pressure within the lung arteries.
- Inflammation of the heart muscles.
- Chronic kidney problems.
- Weakening of the heart muscles.
Medical professionals emphasise that elevated troponin T levels, though mostly associated with cardiac injury, may not always be indicative of heart muscle damage. If diagnostic tests do not reveal any heart-related issues but show high troponin levels in the blood, doctors may recommend additional tests, such as an Electrocardiogram (ECG), to determine the underlying cause and tailor the treatment accordingly. Although Troponin T is very specific for heart injury and provides a high probability of an adverse cardiac event, it should be followed up by serial testing and correlation with clinical findings, ECG testing, and other imaging studies.
What’s the Next Step After Detecting High Troponin T Levels in Your Bloodstream?
When high sensitivity troponin T is detected in the bloodstream, doctors focus on treating the underlying cause rather than lowering the protein levels, as elevated troponin levels serve as a symptom, not the primary issue. Immediate steps that doctors might recommend include:
- Medication to dissolve blood clots.
- Angioplasty to unblock restricted coronary arteries.
- Bypass surgery to create new pathways for blood flow through the heart.
- Ablation, a procedure where surgeons use radio waves to eliminate harmful cells from the heart in specific cases.
Conclusion
The Troponin T test is quite simple and immensely straightforward, which demands you to give a small amount of blood sample. Diagnostic lab experts will collect this sample from a vein on your arm, which will then be sent for testing. Remember, the accuracy of the results is very important, for which you must connect with only the reputed diagnostic centres near you.
And talking about the best, Agilus Diagnostics is one of the most reputed and preferred diagnostic labs for conducting all types of tests. If you are prescribed a troponin T test, book your slot with us online or connect with us for more information on it.
Agilus Diagnostics, a subsidiary of Fortis Healthcare Limited
