Myocardial damage and electrical injuries: significance of early elevation of CPK-MB isoenzymes.

Significant cardiac complications among immediate survivors of high-voltage electrical injuries are less common than previously suspected. Transient arrhythmias predominate. The MB isoenzyme of serum creatine phosphokinase may be factitiously elevated within the first 48 hours after injury. In the absence of clinical symptoms or electrocardiographic signs of ischemia, early isolated elevation of this cardiac isoenzyme should not preclude an aggressive surgical approach.