Creatine kinase (CK), or phosphocreatine kinase, is an enzyme whose level may be associated with intense exercise, but also with joint or heart disease. Check what are the standards of creatine kinase (CK) and what is evidenced by its too low or too high level.
Creatine kinase (CK) , orCreatine phosphate kinaseis found in striated muscle, heart muscle, and brain.A biochemical testof serum CK concentration is ordered when there is a suspicion of damage to myocardial cells (infarction, inflammation), intoxication with drugs that damage the muscles, carbon monoxide poisoning, chest pain and to monitor treatment hypercholesterolaemia with statins.
Creatine kinase (CK): norms
In the case of creatine kinase (CK), the norm for women is 40-285 U / l and for men 55-370 U / l.
Creatine kinase (CK) above normal
When creatine kinase (CK) values increase to 2850-9250 U / L, it most often means that a heart attack has occurred. The increase is observed as early as 6 hours after the onset of the infarction, and the maximum values appear after 18-30 hours. After three days (approximately 72 hours), the CK level returns to normal. The persistence of high values after 3 days is a bad prognosis for the patient. Other reasons for the increase of this parameter are:
- breakdown of striated muscles
- strychnine poisoning
- carbon monoxide poisoning
- muscle crush syndrome
- muscular dystrophy (muscle wasting)
Increase in the level of creatine kinase (CK) to the value of 1850 U / l is observed:
- after surgery
- in skeletal muscle injuries
- in case of myositis
- after head injuries
- in case of brain subarachnoid bleeding
- in hypothyroidism
- in an epilepsy attack
It happens that the cause of the increase in the level of this enzyme is intense radiation therapy or drugs that lower cholesterol.
Low CK: reasons
A decrease in creatine kinase occurs most often in alcoholic liver disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
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