New diagnostic criteria for myocardial infarction:: Orther within the chaos

An expert committee of the European Society of Cardiology and the American College of Cardiology recently redefined the criteria for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction. The new nomenclature is based on the use of new, biochemical markers of myocardial necrosis (troponin, CK-MB mass) which are more sensitive and specific than those previously used (CK, CK-MB activity). The new criteria adapts to the real possibilities in clinical practice and presents the inconvenient of differing from the established criteria used as epidemiologic, prognostic and therapeutic references. Nonetheless, since there had been different criteria for diagnosing myocardial infarction in the past, the new nomenclature will represent a common way of referring a diagnosis with important practical implications.