Troponin - the emergency department blood test and what it can show if you've had a heart attack
Channel: Pathology Tests Explained
Date: 2023-03-13

If you’re unlucky to be admitted to hospital with a suspected heart attack, the high-sensitive troponin blood test can quickly show if you have had one. In this short video, a leading emergency expert explains how it works. 

Troponin is a protein released by your heart muscle when it is damaged. Normally, troponin levels are low but they rise dramatically when you have had a cardiac event.  If you are admitted to the emergency department with chest pain your doctors will use this test to establish if you have had a myocardial infarction. The test will be done together with an ECG and can help the doctor look for different types of heart attacks.