Why is the Creatine Kinase (CK) Test Essential?
The Creatine Kinase (CK) test can be used to indicate whether there has been damage to the brain or muscle that may have been due to a stroke, muscle disorder or a heart attack. CK or creatine phosphokinase (CPK) is a type of enzyme that is located mostly in the skeletal muscle, brain or heart. There are three isoforms of CK and high levels of CK in the blood can mean three different things. CK-I or BB is created mainly by smooth muscles and the brain. CK-II or MB, is created mainly by the skeletal muscle, while CK-III or MM, is generated by the skeletal muscle. When the CK tests are completed, a high level of CK shows that the muscle tissues, the brain and the heart have been exposed to stress or injury. Thus, this particular test can be utilized to determine the reasons for chest pain, diagnose a heart attack, and differentiate malignant hyperthermia and infection after an operation. Other uses include the early detection of polymyositis and dermatomyositis, the identification of the
