The nurse is assessing the laboratory results for a client who developed chest pain 4 hours ago and may be having a myocardial infarction. Which of the following laboratory results is most important for the nurse to review?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Cardiac troponins start to elevate hours (average 4-6 hours) after myocardial injury and are specific to myocardium. Creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) is specific to myocardial injury and infarction, but it does not increase until 6 hours after the infarction occurs. LDL cholesterol and C-reactive protein are useful in assessing cardiovascular risk but are not helpful in determining whether a client is having an acute myocardial infarction.

The Nurse Is Assessing the Laboratory Results for a Client