WHY CARDIOSPECIFICITY IS PREEMINENT IN MYOCARDIAL MARKERS OF INJURY

The most critical facet of a biochemical marker of ischemic heart dise ase is cardiospecificity. This flows from the fact that symptoms and a lternative objective studies including coronary arteriography and elec trocardiography are frequently insensitive in detecting coronary arter y disease. The timely appearance of biochemical evidence of myocyte ne crosis firmly asserts the presence of life threatening multi-focal cor onary atherosclerosis which is often not otherwise knowable. Complianc e in the response of physician and patient clearly depend on the perce ption of persuasive biochemical testimony.