Creatine kinase is an enzyme that is found in muscle tissue including the heart muscle tissue. It is detectable in the blood of an individual. The creatine kinase test involves the collection of blood from a vein in the upper forearm of an individual. Creatine kinase levels in children may require a lancet for blood drawing rather than a needle as the vein may not be easily recognizable. Creatine kinase levels are measured in the blood through a series of chemical tests. In almost all cases, the blood is tested for various other components as well and not just for creatine kinase. Creatine kinase is always present in the blood in small quantities. It is present because it leaks into the blood stream when muscle tissue is damaged. A person who has suffered from some form of muscular injury will have creatine kinase elevation.
The main reason for the creatine kinase test is to detect if any muscle damage has occurred in the period prior to the test. It may be used by sports persons to diagnose a muscular injury that has occurred during their physical exertions. It may also be used to detect a heart attack, even a silent heart attack as this may cause creatine kinase to leak into the bloodstream. A silent heart attack is one where the obvious symptoms of chest pain may not be present although the heart is suffering from an attack. The creatine kinase test is used on patients who present with cases of suspected heart attacks. In many individuals, the chest pain may not be related to a cardiac event but may be something else, something even as innocuous as indigestion or gas which has caused heartburn and chest pains. The best way of ruling out or confirming a heart attack is to check the creatine kinase levels on a patient as he or she is admitted to the emergency room. Another advantage of the creatine kinase test is that it could be performed without accessing the muscle involved in the injury. This means that it is relatively comfortable for the patient to have this test done as it only involves a pin prick. The creatine kinase test can also determine the extent to which the muscle has been damaged. This is another advantage in of the creatine kinase test which makes it widely used. There are also different forms of creatine kinase which help the doctor diagnose which part of the body has suffered from a muscular injury.