Evaluation of cardiovascular risk and asymptomatic myocardial injury in the general population with high-sensitivity methods for cardiac troponin assay

Only very recently the set-up of some immunoassay methods with high-sensitivity analytical performance allowed the accurate detection of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and T (cTnT) levels in healthy adult subjects. several studies have demonstrated the association between the risk of major cardiovascular events and cardiac troponin concentrations even for biomarker values within the reference intervals. High-sensitivity cTnI and cTnT methods enable to monitor myocardial renewal and remodelling, and to promptly identify patients at highest risk to heart failure development. An early and effective treatment of individuals at higher cardiovascular risk may revert the initial myocardial remodelling and slow down heart failure progression. dedicated trials are needed also in Italian population to demonstrate the efficiency of general population screening by means of cost benefit analysis for individuals at higher risk for heart failure progression.