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NCLEX · Cardiac Care

A client is admitted with chest pain. Which laboratory test is most specific for diagnosing a myocardial infarction (heart attack)?

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Correct answer

Troponin (cardiac troponin I or T)

  1. A Hemoglobin
  2. B Blood glucose
  3. C White blood cell count
  4. D Troponin (cardiac troponin I or T)

Why this is the answer

TROPONIN (cardiac troponin I or T) is the MOST SPECIFIC and sensitive lab marker for myocardial infarction (heart attack). NCLEX physiological/cardiac. Troponin is released into the blood when heart muscle is damaged; it rises within a few hours of an MI, peaks, and stays elevated for days — making it valuable for diagnosis. Serial troponins are drawn. OTHER cardiac markers: CK-MB (creatine kinase-MB) and myoglobin (less specific). Troponin's high specificity for cardiac muscle damage makes it the gold-standard biomarker for MI. Combined with the ECG and clinical presentation, troponin confirms the diagnosis. Knowing troponin is the most specific MI marker is a commonly tested NCLEX cardiac concept.
Source: NCLEX Physiological — Cardiac Markers (Troponin)

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About this topic: Cardiac Care

Cardiac care questions cover chest pain assessment, MI and heart failure management, dysrhythmia recognition, cardiac medications and the post-procedure care after catheterisation. This is one of 10 RN: Physiological Integrity questions on cardiac care, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

New to this exam? Our NCLEX exam guide explains the format, scoring, and how to prepare.

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