The myoglobin test is done to check the amount of this protein in your blood to identify muscle and heart damage.This protein is present in the heart muscle and other muscles of the body, providing the oxygen needed for muscle contraction.
Therefore, myoglobin is not normally present in the blood, is released only in case of injury to a muscle after a sports injury, for example, or during a heart attack, during which levels of this protein begin to increase in the blood 1 to 3 hours after the heart attack, reaches its maximum point between 6 and 7 hours and returns to normal after 24 hours.
- Therefore.
- In healthy people.
- The myoglobin test is negative and is only positive when there is a problem with a body muscle.
Myoglobin is present in the muscles and is responsible for connecting to oxygen and storing it until necessary, so during physical activity, for example, oxygen stored by myoglobin is released to generate energy; however, in any situation that compromises physical activity.muscles, myoglobin and other proteins can be released into circulation.
Myoglobin is present in all striatum muscles in the body, including the heart muscle, so it is also used as a marker of heart injury, so myoglobin blood measurement is requested when a muscle injury is suspected due to:
Although it can be used in cases of suspected heart attack, the most common test used today to confirm the diagnosis is the troponin test, which measures the presence of another protein only present in the heart and not influenced by other muscle injuries.the troponin test.
In addition, if the presence of myoglobin is confirmed in the blood and is at very high values, a urine test may also be performed to assess renal health, as very high levels of myoglobin can cause kidney damage, impairing its functioning.
The main way to do the myoglobin test is to take a blood sample, however, in many cases, your doctor may also order a urine sample because myoglobin is filtered and removed by your kidneys.
For either exam, no preparation, such as fasting, is necessary
The normal myoglobin test result is negative or less than 0.15 mcg / dL, because in normal situations, myoglobin is not found in the blood, only in the muscles.
However, when values greater than 0.15 mcg/dL are found, it is indicated in the test that myoglobin is high, which usually indicates a problem with the heart or other muscles of the body, and as a result, the doctor may order more tests.such as an electrocardiogram or heart markers to arrive at a more accurate diagnosis.
High levels of myoglobin may also be a sign of other non-muscle problems, such as excessive alcohol consumption or kidney problems, so the outcome should always be evaluated with your doctor based on each person’s history.