Troponin Test

A troponin test measures the level of troponin in a sample of your blood. Troponin is a protein that's found in the cells of your heart muscle. Normally, troponin levels in blood are so low that only the most sensitive types of tests can measure them.

But if your heart muscle is damaged, troponin leaks into your bloodstream, and your troponin blood levels will rise. Troponin testing is mainly used to help diagnose heart attacks. Heart attacks damage the heart by suddenly blocking the blood flow that brings oxygen to part of the heart muscle.

Without oxygen from blood, heart muscle cells die and release troponin. Troponin test results can confirm damage to the heart muscle from a heart attack. The more damage there is to the heart, the more troponin is released into the blood.

So, measuring the amount of troponin in the blood can also help estimate how much of the heart has been damaged. Higher than normal troponin levels may also be found in other conditions that can damage heart muscle. Two types of troponin maybe be measured to diagnose heart damage.

They are called troponin I and troponin T. Tests can measure either type.

Why this test is done

You may need a troponin test if you have symptoms of a heart attack. The symptoms can start slowly or suddenly. They may be mild or intense, and they can come and go over several hours.

They include:

• Chest pain, heaviness, or discomfort in the center or left side of the chest
• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, your back, shoulders, neck, jaw, or above your belly button
• Trouble breathing when resting or doing light physical activity
• Nausea and vomiting
• Feeling unusually tired for no reason, sometimes for days
• Dizziness and light-headedness
• Sweating a lot for no reason
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)

If you have symptoms of a heart attack, call 911 immediately. Quick medical attention could save your life.

You may also need troponin testing if you're having surgery that could affect your heart.

How to prepare

You don't need any special preparations for a troponin test. But, if you take vitamin B7, also called biotin, make sure you tell the health care provider who orders your test. Biotin and supplements that contain biotin can make your troponin levels appear lower than they really are.

Sample type

Blood

Other names for this test

cardiac troponin I (cTnI), cardiac troponin T (cTnT), cardiac troponin (cTn), cardiac-specific troponin I and troponin T