Role Of Cardiac Biomarkers Research Articles

Role of cardiac biomarkers in assessment of RV function and prognosis in chronic pulmonary hypertension

Humoral biomarkers emerged within the last decade as an attractive non-invasive tool for assessment and monitoring of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). Combined with clinical assessment, they offer the possibility to reduce the frequency of traditional, time-consuming, complex, and costly tests. Echocardiography, right heart catheterization (RHC), or cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) could then be reserved for detailed initial evaluation and for resolving more complex emerging clinical problems. Biomarkers would be particularly useful for outpatient monitoring and daily clinical practice. Our paper reviews the evidence collected so far in this dynamically developing area of cardiovascular medicine.

High-risk acute coronary syndrome patients and cardiac biomarkers in the emergency department: any role for new biomarkers of myocardial ischaemia?

In a recent editorial, Bagwe et al. 1 discussed the role of cardiac biomarkers regarding treatment and outcomes of patients with evolving myocardial infarction (MI) in the context of the SYNERGY trial.2 High-risk acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with elevated cardiac troponin (cTnT) benefit from early invasive therapy, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, combined anti-platelet agent treatment, and the use of low molecular-weight heparins. However, while cTnT measurement has represented a useful tool for the management of acute chest pain in both the emergency department (ED) and the coronary care unit, it is known that a sizeable proportion of patients present with negative cTnT levels. Moreover, patients with unstable angina, i.e. acute chest pain, myocardial ischaemia, and negative TnT measurements, have been shown to have a high incidence (6–8%) of MI at 30 days, even …