When is ck elevated

Some people with a muscular build also have higher levels of CK. You don't need to prepare for this test. Be sure your healthcare provider knows about all medicines, herbs, vitamins, and supplements you are taking. This includes medicines that don't need a prescription and any illegal drugs you may use. Search Encyclopedia. Creatine Kinase Blood Does this test have other names?

Why do I need this test? What other tests might I have along with this test? These tests include: Other blood tests Electrocardiogram ECG to measure the electrical activity of your heart Because levels of CK may rise if you have a thyroid problem, alcohol abuse, or kidney failure, your healthcare provider may also order tests to look for these diseases.

What do my test results mean? How is this test done? Does this test pose any risks? Blog Podcast Newsletter Magazine. CK tests are used to evaluate neuromuscular diseases in five basic ways: To confirm a suspected muscle problem before other symptoms occur To determine whether symptoms of muscle weakness are caused by a muscle or a nerve problem To differentiate between some types of disorders such as dystrophies versus congenital myopathies To detect "carriers" of neuromuscular disorders, particularly in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

A carrier has a genetic defect, but doesn't get the full-blown disease. A carrier's child may have the full disease. To follow the course of a disease that fluctuates primarily the inflammatory myopathies , or to document episodes of acute muscle injury, as might occur in some metabolic myopathies.

Request Information. Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram. All rights reserved. Tietz Clinical Guide to Laboratory Tests. Fourth edition. Edited by Wu AHB. Louis, Saunders Elsevier, ; Crit Care Apr;9 2 Morandi L, Angelini C, Prelle A, et al: High plasma creatine kinase: review of the literature and proposal for a diagnostic algorithm.

It is possible to be healthy and have higher CK levels. Your doctor will interpret this test, taking into account your medical history and other test results, and will repeat it if necessary.

In a large community study of over 12, people in Norway, people who had elevated CK levels were re-tested after 3 days of rest. To ascertain that the rise in CK is due solely to exercise or exclude physical activity as a factor, the test should be repeated after a week of rest i. If elevated CK persists, it is more likely to be due to an underlying health issue. People who have elevated creatine kinase due to an underlying health issue may experience the following symptoms [ 9 ]:. Causes shown below are commonly associated with elevated creatine kinase.

Work with your doctor or another health care professional to get an accurate diagnosis. Exercise and training are the main cause of increased creatine kinase levels [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]. CK levels transiently increase to over 30 times the upper normal limit within 24 hours of strenuous physical activity and then slowly decline back to normal over the next 7 days.

To what degree CK spikes depends on the type and duration of exercise [ 8 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. Studies have shown that even stretching can increase CK [ 16 ]! Also, people who are untrained will experience greater spikes in CK levels due to greater muscle damage [ 8 ].

On the other hand, athletes have higher resting CK levels compared to non-athletes. Fun fact: The highest creatine kinase on record was over a million and was caused solely by a heavy workout [ 17 ]! Although higher CK levels are found in athletes, conversely, high CK levels are also found in obese and overweight people. In a study of 1, subjects, higher CK levels were linked with higher BMI and waist-to-hip ratio [ 18 ]. In another study of over 10, adults, overweight and obese men had almost 2 times greater odds of having elevated CK [ 19 ].

Similarly, in 4, people, CK levels were higher in people with greater body mass [ 4 ]. Scientists may have found an explanation for this.