Creatine Phosphokinase Activity in Myocardial Infarction, Heart Failure, and Following Various Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures

Abstract

Abstract The creatine phosphokinase(CPK) test based on the method of Okinaka et al. (1) was compared with the glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) test of Reitman and Frankel (2) in patients with myocardial infarction, cardiac failure, and following various diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The CPK method used was somewhat less discriminatory than the GOT method in detecting myocardial infarction. The CPK test possessed greater specificity, since it was not elevated in congestive cardiac failure, while the GOT test was elevated in 25% of the patients with heart failure. Therefore, the CPK test offered a real advantage when evaluating suspected infarction in the presence of cardiac failure. CPK activity may be elevated when the GOT test is normal, indicating the advantage of performing more than one enzyme procedure in suspected myocardial infarction. Both GOT and CPK were elevated in many patients following surgical operation and cardiac catheterization. No CPK elevations were encountered after electroconvulsive therapy, and CPK was only occasionally elevated following coronary arteriography.