Do I need to fast for myocardial enzyme testing?

To test myocardial enzymes, we actually need to draw blood. Generally speaking, we believe that whenever blood is drawn, the patient needs to be on an empty stomach to avoid errors in the examination. So, do we need to fast when we test myocardial enzymes? If you have not paid attention to this issue, you will definitely say, just eat on an empty stomach, after all, there won’t be anything wrong. In fact, we don't need to fast when we go to the hospital to check myocardial enzymes.

Is fasting required for cardiac enzyme test? The answer is: Myocardial enzyme testing does not require fasting and can be done at any time.

Myocardial enzymes are a general term for various enzymes present in the myocardium, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LD or LDH), creatine kinase (CK) and its isoenzymes, α-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (α-HBD), etc. During acute myocardial infarction, various enzymes are released in the myocardium due to myocardial cell necrosis. Therefore, the determination of myocardial enzymes in serum is of certain value in diagnosing acute myocardial infarction and evaluating the effect of thrombolysis.

Generally speaking, fasting mainly refers to certain related examinations of the gastrointestinal tract, which will stimulate the secretion of enzymes after eating. Blood tests for cardiac enzymes have little effect on diet, so strict fasting is not required. In addition, it has little to do with exercise. Therefore, there is no need to fast or restrict activity when checking cardiac enzymes. Of course, there is no effect if the test is done on an empty stomach.

According to research, the myocardial enzyme spectrum values ​​in blood samples collected on an empty stomach or after eating do not change much, and the differences are not statistically significant, indicating that after eating, the body's digestive and metabolic activities are mainly enhanced, and the levels of myocardial enzymes do not change significantly.

In addition, enzyme testing is generally a rate analysis method. The changes in matrix effects caused by factors such as lipids, sugars, proteins and amino acids in postprandial blood samples have little effect on the rate method detection of myocardial enzymes. Therefore, blood samples collected after meals can be used for clinical emergency myocardial enzyme spectrum testing.

Of course, to ensure the accuracy and reliability of biochemical test results, it is best to collect blood from non-emergency patients in a fasting and calm state. Attention should also be paid to various factors of quality control before analysis to ensure the reliability of specimen collection. The operating procedures during the analysis process must be strictly followed to ensure the accuracy of the test results.