Need help knowing what this lab value is supposed to be.

A typical CK-MB level is the absolute level of CK-MB.

The relative level of CK-MB is the percentage of M and B types to all CPK.

This is important, because typiclly CK-MB makes up a very small percentage of total CPK (

Your skeletal muscle only has a tiny amount of CK-MB, it's mostly CK-MM.

Meanwhile, your cardiac muscle has a higher percentage of CK-MB, which makes an elevated level more specific to cardiac muscle damage.

Thanks...so (and I'm presenting this as a question to make sure I understood your post correctly)...if the % is high, then that is indicative of relatively recent heart damage? Or is it another diagnostic too...that doesn't definitively diagnose, but just a tool that may indicate, but not prove a recent heart attack?

Thanks!

Thanks...so (and I'm presenting this as a question to make sure I understood your post correctly)...if the % is high, then that is indicative of relatively recent heart damage? Or is it another diagnostic too...that doesn't definitively diagnose, but just a tool that may indicate, but not prove a recent heart attack?

Thanks!

To be honest, I don't know. While a high percentage of CK-MB to total CPK might be a useful diagnostic in a situation where both were elevated and you are attempting to rule out cardiac versus renal failure versus rhabdomyolysis, I don't think it is as specific, as sensitive, or as early-detected as troponins would be. In my limited experience, I've never seen the relative percentage ordered or reported-- though it isn't hard to figure out: (CK-MB / CPK ) * 100.

Ok...that tells me what I need to know...thank you so much.

We go to so many different facilities, and it's impossible to know how to read the labwork at each one because for some labs they use different abbreviations, etc, and of course, I don't have enough experience to really figure it out on my own.

So I'll probably put as an explanation for the test as, "Adjunct diagnostic tool to assess cardiac muscle damage."

Your math is better than mine b/c I never would have figured out that formula on my own.

I figure heck, if I'm wrong, I can't be THAT far off....

Good link, morte.

why, thank you, suh!

lol....just searched on the term....relative+index+ckmb........it came back and aske if i meant there to be a space between ck and mb....clicked on that and away we went!

THANK YOU MORTE!!!

THANK YOU MORTE!!!

well, gosh.....you're most welcome ma'am....lol.....i didnt read much, maybe it is worth a bookmark, for further reference? other lab work etc?