NATRIURETIC PEPTIDE/TROPONIN RATIO FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF PREEXISTING MYOCARDIAL DYSFUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME

摘要

The present invention is concerned with methods and devices for medical diagnosis. Specifically, it relates to a method of diagnosing if a subject which has suffered from an acute myocardial infarction is also suffering from a pre-existing myocardial dysfunction, said method comprising a) determining the amount of a natriuretic peptide in a sample of said subject; b) determining the amount of a cardiac troponin in a sample of said subject; c) calculating the ratio (natriuretic peptide/cardiac troponin); d) diagnosing if the elevated natriuretic peptide level is related to a preexisting myocardial dysfunction, or if the elevated level is caused by the acute myocardial infarction, based of the ratio calculated in step c). The method allows to determine whether the individual has suffered from a myocardial dysfunction, in particular heart failure, before the myocardial infarction has occurred. Moreover, the present invention relates to a diagnostic device and a kit for carrying out the aforementioned method.