Overview:
Creatine Kinase (CK) also referred to as creatine phosphokinase (CPK) or phosphocreatine kinase is an enzyme in the body that causes the phosphorylation of creatine. Creatine kinase (CK) is found in skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, brain, bladder, stomach, and colon.
The CPK levels can be elevated by muscle diseases or muscle necrosis. CPK leaks into the blood when muscle tissues are damaged, and as such high levels of CPK is indicative of stress or injury to the heart or other muscles. CK enzymes comprise of two subunits, which is CK (B) brain type and CK (M) muscles type.
Interpretations:
High CPK levels may be seen in people who have:
- Brain injury and stroke
- Convulsions
- Delirium Tremens
- Dermatomyositis or polymyositis
- Electric shock
- Heart attack
- Inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis)
- Lung tissue death (pulmonary infarction)
- Muscular dystrophies
- Myopathy
- Rhabdomyolysis
Other conditions that may give positive test results:
- Hypothyroidism
- Hyperthyroidism
- Pericarditis following a heart attack
When the total CPK level is very high, it most often means there has been an injury or stress to muscle tissue, the heart, and the brain.
Muscle tissue injury is most likely. When a muscle is damaged, CPK leaks in the bloodstream. Finding which specific form of CPK is high helps to determine which tissue has been damaged.
This test may be used to:
- Diagnose heart attack
- Evaluate the cause of chest pain
- Determine if or how badly a muscle damaged
- Detect dermatomyositis, polymyositis, and other muscle diseases
- Tell the difference between malignant hyperthermia and postoperative infection
The pattern and timing of a rise or fall in CPK levels can be significant in making a diagnosis. This is paticularly true if a heart attack is suspected
In most cases other tests are used instead of or with this test to diagnose a heart attack.
