creatine kinase total test

Creatine kinase (CK) is an enzyme found primarily in skeletal muscle, heart muscle, and brain tissue. When measured in serum or plasma, elevated CK indicates tissue damage—most commonly muscle injury from trauma, intense exercise, or rhabdomyolysis. CK is also a key cardiac biomarker: the CK-MB isoform rises after myocardial infarction. Serial CK measurements help monitor the progression of muscular dystrophies and the response to statin therapy. CK is one of the most commonly ordered enzymes in emergency and sports medicine settings.

Creatine kinase (CK) is an enzyme found mainly in skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, and the brain. When these tissues are damaged, CK is released into the bloodstream. The test measures CK isoenzymes—different versions of this enzyme that come from different tissues. CK-MB is specific to heart muscle, CK-BB to brain, and CK-MM to skeletal muscle. This breakdown helps clinicians identify which tissue is damaged. Elevated CK suggests muscle injury, heart attack, rhabdomyolysis, or neurological damage, depending on which isoenzyme is elevated.