Problem:
While driving home after work, a 45-year-old construction worker is involved in a collision with another car. Upon arrival in the emergency department, the patient complains of chest pain along with severe pain from accident injuries. X-rays and laboratory assays including cardiac biomarkers are ordered. Biomarker Reference Value Patient Result at Presentation Patient Result at 6 Hours Patient Result at 12 Hours CK-MB <5.0 ng/mL 7.0 ng/mL 6.0 ng/mL 6.5 ng/mL cTnI <0.04 ng/mL 0.03 ng/mL <0.04 ng/mL <0.03 ng/mL Do the cardiac marker results indicate that an AMI is causing the chest pain? Please select the single best answer No, the muscle injury sustained in the accident is the likely cause of the elevated CK-MB. Yes, two successive elevated CK-MBs are sufficient for diagnosis of an AMI. Yes, both biomarker results are in the range that may indicate an AMI. Inconclusive, x-ray results need to be seen before making a conclusion.