Hi all. I am new here and might need guidance where to post.
My back ground is... diagnosed with leukaemia last year, had aggressive chemo and a stem cell transplant.
Today I saw a cardiology doctor... which Is why I am now posting here.
My heart has aged due to my treatment. Echo heart test was ok. I suffer from high blood pressure. The main thing that concerns me is that overthe last year I have had a consistently high TROPONIN level. In the 20s ( up to 30) ... he said this does not reflect the general population. But didn't seem too concerned. Yet pointed out it is elevated.
He seemed more concerned about me keeping up a healthy lifestyle to help my blood pressure.
Does anyone please have more info on troponin levels and what this may mean for me...
Thankyoi
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Jalola
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Sorry you've been so ill . I know that each lab has different measures of Troponin levels . Also as far as I am aware Troponin levels can be high if one has an infection and of course heart problems. I totally understand your concern . IMO best thing to do is make an appointment and voice your concerns to your cardiologist. Perhaps ask him what the normal level of Troponin should be ( I asked my cardiologist and he told me it was 8, and my Troponin levels were 300 )
Thankyou for your reply... my cardiologist said to me that 99% of population have a troponin level of 14 or under... ( but I'm thinking that can't be right ...)maybe he meant 99% of people with an elevated level are under level 14... he said I fall into the 1%.
My pleasure ! Yea, it's a bit confusing what he said . Maybe he meant that most healthy people have a low Troponin level . And you are the 1% as yours is higher than most ?
You should ask him why your level is 20/30 . But maybe he doesn't know!
In May I had a heart attack and a stent (LAD 98% blockage) . Although I had chest pain , I was let out of hospital . A few days later I was back in hospital as the chest pain had got worse. In A & E , I was told my Troponin levels were 300. And that it was very serious. I was told that I should not have been discharged. I was admitted back into hospital.
The Cardiologist still does not know if I had a second heart attack . Or maybe he doesn't admit to it for legal reasons as I should not have been discharged with chest pain,. He calls it an 'episode' .
I don't know why these Cardiologists are so vague . It's our bodies and our lives . We need answers.
I did ask him but he didn't really answer. He said undoubtedly that my body and heart has been under stress throughout my treatment... but my heart ultrasound was ok
. He didn't give a direct answer... but I just want to know what it might mean for me in the future...? I always associated that high troponin is linked to heart attacks... which in your case it is, but my level is lower... but still not normal
I totally understand your concern . You do need to know what it means to have raised levels
I remember .my cardiologist saying that Troponin levels can be raised when the body is traumatised and then goes back to normal . Maybe your Cardiologist expects them to go back to normal ?
My husband had an heart attack in June his Troponin level was 23,000 he had one artery 80% blockage , one 50% so had two stents put in , if that’s any help
Thankyou for your reply , I'm sorry to hear this... I wonder if that 23000 is in ng/l measurement? As seems so high... I know troponin is measured in different ways, that's why I get confused... x
Me too I don’t know how it’s measured , he was in A&E when the blood tests were taken , the doctor said “300 + means you’ve had an heart attack yours is 23,000 “ we were in shock so didn’t look into it at the time
Thankyou I have heard that over 30 mg/l is probable heart attack... but I have no idea what unit mine was measured in ! Once mine was at 30 ! And no one has ever mentioned heart attack !?
The majority of people have undetectable or very low levels of troponin until they have a cardiac event where it rises as early as 3 hours later. Some people have slightly raised baseline troponin levels in the absence of any cardiac event which is not significant. However, it's important to know your baseline levels are raised if you ever end up in a&e with chest pain so that the drs can work out if its heart related or not..
Wow thanks for all that info ! I didn't know all that about Troponin levels! .
I think I must have had my heart attack at home . I had very bad Shingles at the time and had terrible constipation . I was sweating and had a lot of pain in my stomach at the time . After the pain subsided for a little while , I felt very, very weak. I guess that was the heart attack?
I know my baseline level is 8 .
Thanks again for all your knowledge . I really appreciate it,
Hi jalola just want to wish you the very best hope everything goes well for you.You must stress about everything with what you have been through but my rule is if the cardiologist isnt concerned neither am I Take carexxx
Thankyou. I'm a born worrier... and ask so many questions... but it's more the not knowing why my heart is secreting troponin which is puzzling me. He didn't seem sure today either xxx
I thought the same in hospital ' If the Cardiologists aren't concerned then neither am I ' when they were constantly telling me they didn't think I had a heart condition. And they were 100% Wrong!
If they had sent me home as some of them wanted to , I would have died!
It's your body , not theirs , If something goes wrong you ( one) suffer not them.
IMO it's important to be, polite, nice , calm and ASSERTIVE, towards doctors. It nearly cost me my life being passive and literally putting my life in their hands . Never again!
I am sorry to hear that you are facing a new health problem after overcoming so much already.
You can have a raised Troponin for other reasons.
Such as myocarditis and other heart infections, Atrial fibrillation, stroke, injury, infection, kidney problems, blood clots, high blood pressure, inflammation and heart function problems.
There is growing awareness of the effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy on the heart.
You may want to ask your Cardiologist to seek advice from a Cardio oncology specialist or refer you to such a service.
Thankyou, that is interesting... my inflammation markers in the blood are often high... but often I do have other respiratory infections which can cause them to rise... I guess I need further tests to check if heart is damaged. But echocardiogram was good...
He did say my chemotherapy treatment can cause heart damage... but I want to know what sort of damage and what it means for me ?!
Your echocardiogram was good which is very good news.
However of course you want to know more.
I suggest you talk to your Cardiologist and ask them to discuss with you further how Chemotherapy can effect the heart and if necessary ask them to contact the Cardio oncology specialists at the Royal Brompton hospital or Barts Hospital for further advice.
Or you could discuss this with your GP and ask them to refer you.
Hi, Sorry to hear of your additional health problems, sincerely hope things settle down. I had a bypass two years ago but unfortunately have had a number of episodes when I have had bad chest pain so attended A & E. All tests came back normal but on one occasion troponin was 19 so tested again and was 16 so let out. I was told up to 15 was normal. If level continued to rise a heart attack would be suspected. So 1 to 15 appears to be ok.
There is a new idea about Troponin levels. A slightly raised level may also indicate some injury to the heart muscle a bit like a bruise rather than a permanent damage or the death of the heart muscle cells , myocardial infarction.
Thanks for that Milkfairy, seems logical though if correct my old ticker must have been bashed about a bit! Think your posts should be required reading for GPs like they are for us on here!
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