Which enzyme is commonly elevated in both cardiac and skeletal muscle disorders?

Which enzyme is commonly elevated in both cardiac and skeletal muscle disorders?

• A. CK
• B. ALT
• C. ALP
• D. GGT

Answer: (A)

Creatine kinase (CK) is an enzyme that is primarily involved in energy metabolism, particularly in muscle tissue. It catalyzes the conversion of creatine to phosphocreatine, which serves as an energy reservoir in muscle cells. CK exists in different isoenzymes, with CK-MM predominantly found in skeletal muscle and CK-MB found in cardiac muscle. Due to its presence in both cardiac and skeletal muscle tissues, elevated levels of CK can indicate various muscle disorders, such as myocardial infarction, rhabdomyolysis, and muscular dystrophy. When muscle damage occurs, CK is released into the bloodstream, leading to increased serum levels. In contrast, other enzymes listed have more specific applications or sources; for example, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is primarily associated with liver function, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is involved in bone and liver diseases, and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) is mainly associated with liver function and biliary tract issues. Therefore, while the elevation of these enzymes may be linked to specific conditions, none of them serve as as broad a marker for muscle disorders as creatine kinase does for both cardiac and skeletal muscles.

Creatine kinase (CK) is an enzyme that is primarily involved in energy metabolism, particularly in muscle tissue. It catalyzes the conversion of creatine to phosphocreatine, which serves as an energy reservoir in muscle cells. CK exists in different isoenzymes, with CK-MM predominantly found in skeletal muscle and CK-MB found in cardiac muscle.

Due to its presence in both cardiac and skeletal muscle tissues, elevated levels of CK can indicate various muscle disorders, such as myocardial infarction, rhabdomyolysis, and muscular dystrophy. When muscle damage occurs, CK is released into the bloodstream, leading to increased serum levels.

In contrast, other enzymes listed have more specific applications or sources; for example, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is primarily associated with liver function, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is involved in bone and liver diseases, and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) is mainly associated with liver function and biliary tract issues. Therefore, while the elevation of these enzymes may be linked to specific conditions, none of them serve as as broad a marker for muscle disorders as creatine kinase does for both cardiac and skeletal muscles.