Critical Care

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Commentary

Myocardial infarction complicating critical illness

Daniel A King1 and Yaniv Almog2*

Author Affiliations

1 Fellow, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA

2 Director, Medical Intensive Care Unit, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel

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Critical Care 2005, 9:634-635 doi:10.1186/cc3893

Published: 2 November 2005

Abstract

Cardiac troponins are highly sensitive and specific indicators of myocardial injury. Although the mechanism of this injury is not entirely clear, it carries important prognostic information. Elevated serum levels of cardiac troponins have been described in a wide variety of conditions other than myocardial infarction (MI). The current study is an important first step in trying to determine the exact frequency of MI among critically ill patients with elevated troponin. At present, the rate of MI in these patients is unknown and its implications on outcome and management will have to await future prospective clinical trials.