Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and, according to 2010 information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year about 785,000 Americans suffer a first heart attack, while another 470,000 who have...
When you suffer a heart attack, medically termed a myocardial infarction, damage occurs to certain parts of your heart muscle, weakening its ability to pump. Damaged muscle allows enzymes to leak from the muscle into your bloodstream. Testing your...
A heart attack, also called a myocardial infarction, is typically caused by a complete blockage of one or more of the arteries supplying blood to your heart. The interruption in blood flow causes damage to that part of the heart, which can be...
Knowledge of cardiac enzymes when used appropriately saves lives. These enzymes, also called cardiac markers, are substances found either exclusively or predominantly in the heart. When the heart is damaged or in distress, such as during or after...
Many health dangers may be associated with elevated liver enzymes. According to Dr. Dicken Weatherby, a naturopathic physician and author of the textbook "Blood Chemistry and CBC Analysis," elevated liver enzymes -- aspartate aminotransferase,...
The leading cause of death in the United States is cardiovascular disease. When a heart attack is suspected, early diagnosis is imperative, since therapy to stop a heart attack with clot-busting drugs or stent placement are most effective within...
As a muscle that expends energy, the heart requires its own supply of blood, just like the tissues to which it pumps blood. Blood carries oxygen, which is used to make ATP in cells. The ATP is an energy source required for muscular contraction. If...
Blood tests called heart damage markers, or cardiac enzymes, detect injury to the heart muscle by displaying an increase in normal levels. The blood test most commonly used called creatine kinase, or CK for short, confirms the existence of heart...
There are blood tests which can be done to attempt to identify damage to the heart. One of these tests measures the levels of a number of different proteins that can be present in higher quantities when the heart muscle has been damaged. Elevation...
Liver enzymes, such as alanine aminotransferase, or ALT, and aspartate aminotrasferase, or AST, are normally contained within the healthy cells of the liver. However, when liver cells become inflamed or injured, liver enzymes leak into the...
When the heart suffers injury or damage such as occurs after a heart attack, it releases certain enzymes into the bloodstream, according to Smart-Heart-Living.com. The blood levels of these enzymes can be measured with simple blood tests. When...
The heart is a muscular pump. When a person experiences a heart attack, a portion of the heart muscle is damaged, causing symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain that can radiate, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and sweating. One way of...
Pericarditis is an inflammation of the pericardium, the sac that surrounds the heart. Chest pain is a common symptom with pericarditis that can mimic the pain seen with heart attacks. Distinguishing pericarditis from a heart attack requires...
The term "muscle enzymes" refers to what medical professionals call cardiac enzymes. The muscle enzyme test is one of a number that a doctor may order for someone suffering from chest pain, shortness of breath, profuse sweating, unexplained...
Numerous conditions or factors can cause elevated AST liver enzymes. According to MayoClinic.com, elevated liver enzymes indicate that your liver cells have been damaged. Damage to your liver causes liver enzymes and other chemicals to leak into...
Liver enzymes are proteins released into your blood stream by the liver and are an indication of overall liver health -- however, elevated liver enzymes do not necessarily signify liver disease. Prescription medications, including statins that...
The body performs myriad chemical reactions in order to support itself. Many of the chemical reactions are assisted by enzymes. An enzyme is a type of protein that acts like a machine to change the structure of molecules. Some tissue types have a...
Cytotec, known also by the generic name misoprostol, is a synthetic prostaglandin used to prevent NSAID-induced ulcers. Patients taking NSAIDs---nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs---are at increased risk of ulcers because NSAIDs damage stomach...
Triglycerides are a form of fat found in fat cells throughout the body, including in the waist and in the blood. High levels of triglycerides in the blood (also known as hypertriglyceridemia) can cause buildup in and narrowing of the arteries,...
Proteins are tiny specialized structures used by the cells and the body for many functions. They can be strong and provide structural support, or form channels through which chemicals can flow through, for example. A specific type of protein is an...
The organs work together to keep the body healthy. If one organ becomes dysfunctional, it can affect the others. Congestive heart failure can lead to elevated liver enzymes. However, liver enzymes can become elevated for other reasons independent...
Coronary arteries carry oxygen and nutrients to the heart, fueling the heart muscle. If disease or constriction of those arteries stops a healthy flow of blood, it can cause permanent damage to the heart muscle or a heart attack. The American...
Jaw pain and chest pressure are two of the classic signs of a heart attack, although the American Heart Association notes that jaw pain as a heart attack symptom is more likely to appear in women. Jaw pain and chest pressure can also indicate a...
Carnitine is a nonessential amino acid made naturally by the body and used to convert fat into energy. It is produced by the liver and kidneys and stored in the muscle, brain, heart and sperm. Carnitine is available in food sources as well, such...
There are more than 80 diseases that affect the heart, according to the Cleveland Clinic. There are many tests and procedures that can assist physicians in diagnosing the correct condition. These tests can be grouped according to non-invasive...
Laboratory analysis of blood and body fluids supplies valuable information about the heart. According to the Cleveland Clinic, measuring enzyme levels in the blood gives an indication of the severity of heart muscle damage, as well as the risk...
Enzymes are central to every biochemical process occurring in your body. Enzymes are catalysts, which means they speed up chemical reactions in your body, sometimes by a factor of a million times or more, according to Biology Reference. You...
Lisinopril is a medication used to treat high blood pressure and congestive heart failure. It is also used to improve survival rate after a heart attack. It is an angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor, or ACE inhibitor. It dilates the blood...
Zocor is the brand name of simvastatin, which is a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor. A common name for this class of medications is "statins." The medication is indicated for individuals over the age of 10; females may use the medication one year after...
