ABSTRACT
The clinical biochemistry laboratory often plays a central role in the diagnosis and management of acute myocardial infarction. Many laboratory assays rely on measuring the enzyme activity of Creatine kinase. Troponin T may be elevated in patients with chronic kidney disease and thus may not be so cardiospecific. Plasma brain natriuretic peptide is a marker of both right and left ventricular dysfunction, although it is non-specific and can also be raised independently in obesity and renal disease. Cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction, is responsible for the major burden of mortality in urbanized societies and is more common in males, the elderly and those with a positive family history of premature coronary heart disease. There are many causes of hypertension, including obesity, steroid use, insulin resistance and high alcohol intake. Rarer secondary causes include renal disease such as polycystic disease, scleroderma, pyelonephritis and renal artery stenosis.
