cardiophile

hsTnT stands for high sensitivity troponin T. Troponin T is a protein in the heart muscle which can be released into the blood when there is damage to the heart muscle as in a heart attack. Even small quantities of troponin T can be detected by a high sensitivity assay (laboratory estimation). hsTnT is more sensitive than conventional TnT estimation in detecting myocardial infarction (heart attack). The test is useful in diagnosing a heart attack in the emergency department for those with low and moderate risk of the disorder and presenting with chest pain. In a recent study, hsTnT could detect 27 percent more cases compared to convention troponin T.

Bidirectional ventricular tachycardia is an abnormal fast rhythm originating from the ventricle. It is named so because alternate QRS complexes (electrical activity of the ventricles) have opposite directions: one being upwards while the other is downwards. This is a characteristic rhythm disorder seen in toxicity of a medicine called digitalis, which is used to augment the pumping function of the failing heart. Bidirectional ventricular tachycardia can also be seen in rare inherited disorders of cardiac rhythm like catecholaminergic ventricular tachycardia and Andersen syndrome.