The nurse is caring for a patient who was admitted with chest pain to rule out a myocardial infarction.After receiving nitroglycerin and morphine, the patient is resting in bed comfortably with oxygen at 2 L.The initial troponin I level is 0.40 ng/mL.Which of the following interpretations of this lab value is best?
A)"We really judge cardiac damage by Troponin-C, so until other values are back, I don't have any real information for you."
B)"This is a normal value, so your health-care provider will probably let you go home."
C)"Troponin begins to rise between 2 and 6 hours after symptoms of a heart attack, so you will need to wait for further testing before being discharged."
D)"Your first value is really high, so your health-care provider may want to send you to the intensive care unit."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Troponin I is a highly specific and sensitive biomarker for myocardial injury. Elevated levels indicate damage to the heart muscle, which can occur during a heart attack. The initial value of 0.40 ng/mL is above the normal range, which is less than or equal to 0.04 ng/mL. However, it is not high enough to definitively diagnose a heart attack. Troponin levels typically begin to rise between 2 and 6 hours after the onset of symptoms, so additional testing may be needed before the patient can be discharged. Therefore, choice C, which explains the time frame for troponin elevation and the need for further testing, is the best answer. Choices A and B are incorrect because they provide incomplete or inaccurate information. Choice D is incorrect because the troponin level is not high enough to warrant intensive care unit admission.

The Nurse Is Caring for a Patient Who Was Admitted