What is the most common cause of elevated troponin levels?

Troponin is a protein found in cardiac muscle, and elevated troponin levels are primarily indicative of myocardial injury. The most common cause of elevated troponin levels is cardiac ischemia, which occurs when there is a reduced blood flow to the heart muscle, typically due to coronary artery disease or a myocardial infarction (heart attack).

In cases of cardiac ischemia, the lack of adequate oxygen supply leads to damage in the heart muscle cells. This damage causes the release of troponin into the bloodstream, which can be measured through blood tests. Clinicians rely on troponin levels to assess the likelihood of acute coronary syndrome in patients presenting with chest pain or related symptoms.

While conditions like sepsis, myocarditis, and heart failure can also lead to elevated troponin levels, they are less common as direct causes compared to cardiac ischemia. In sepsis, troponin elevation may occur due to systemic inflammatory response leading to myocardial dysfunction, and in myocarditis, there can be direct inflammation affecting the heart tissue. Heart failure may also elevate troponin due to stress and damage to the heart muscle but is generally not the primary reason for elevated levels. Thus, cardiac ischemia is considered the most frequent and significant cause