What is a troponin blood test?

A troponin blood test checks for heart damage or injury. It helps doctors find out if your chest pain is caused by a heart attack, heart infection (such as endocarditis) or any other form of injury to your heart.

Troponins are proteins found in your heart muscle. If the heart muscle is injured or damaged, the proteins are released into the bloodstream. A troponin test measures how much of this protein is in your blood.

Your troponin levels can rise during and after a heart injury. You may have this test more than once to check if heart muscle damage is ongoing.

When is a troponin blood test used?

Your doctor may refer you for a troponin blood test if they think you might be having or have had a heart attack, for example, if you have:

• chest pain
• other heart attack symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, nausea, sweating, dizziness, palpitations or pain spreading to your arms, jaw or back
• an abnormal ECG (heart test) result that suggests heart muscle damage

Troponin levels can also rise due to other health conditions that may damage your heart muscle, such as:

• pulmonary embolism — blood clots in the lungs
• heart infections (myocarditis, pericarditis or endocarditis)
• kidney disease
• severe infections
• injury to your chest
• severe heart failure

Where can I get a troponin blood test?

A troponin blood test is usually done in a hospital or emergency care department.

Sometimes, your doctor may collect a blood sample in their clinic. Rarely, your doctor will give you a referral for a troponin test at a pathology collection centre.

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How do I prepare for a troponin blood test?

No special preparation is needed for a troponin blood test.

If you are having other blood tests done at the same time, there may be special instructions you need to follow. Check with your doctor or nurse if there is anything you need to do before your test.

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What happens during a troponin blood test?

A health professional will take a sample of blood, usually from a vein in your arm. The blood is then sent to a laboratory for testing.

What do my troponin blood test results mean?

Your doctor will explain what your test results mean for you. If your troponin levels are high, they will look at other factors to find out why.

A high troponin level may suggest a heart attack, but doctors don't rely on this test alone to diagnose a heart attack.

Other tests and checks help confirm the cause, including:

• your symptoms
• a physical examination
• your ECG (electrocardiogram) results
• repeating troponin tests to see if levels rise or fall
• other blood tests or scans (for example, a coronary angiogram) to check for different causes of heart damage

Troponin levels can also be high due to other health conditions or factors, such as:

• sepsis
• blood clots in the lungs
• kidney disease
• heart infections
• heart trauma
• intense exercise, such as marathon running

Watch this video by Pathology Tests Explained to learn more about troponin test results.

Resources and support

Pathology Tests Explained has information about testing troponin.

Read our 'Guide to blood testing' to learn more about blood tests, including:

• what to consider before having the test
• what happens during a blood test
• how accurate results are
• blood test costs

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.