Role of cardiac troponin testing in percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is a common invasive procedure for myocardial revascularization. This article reviews the role of monitoring cardiac troponins in identifying procedural myocardial damage as a result of PTCA, its associations with balloon inflation time, stenting, side-branch occlusion and the prognostic implications of elevated levels of cardiac troponins. A review of several studies demonstrates that cardiac troponins are more sensitive than creatine kinase MB, CK-MB (mass) in detecting minor myocardial damage during PTCA. Increases in post-procedural cardiac troponin T and cardiac troponin I are associated with a greater degree of morbidity and mortality. Increases are more common and more pronounced following a longer duration of balloon inflation time, stenting and side-branch occlusion. Elevated cardiac troponins pre-procedure are a poor prognostic indicator.