High troponin levels usually indicate heart muscle damage, pulmonary hypertension, myocarditis, cardiomyopathy or congestive heart failure, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Additionally, medical procedures such as electrical cardioversion, and long-lasting illnesses such as kidney disease and heart disease, can cause high levels of troponin in the blood.
The troponin test measures the amount of proteins troponin T and troponin I in the blood, explains UMMC. Normal values for the troponin T and troponin I proteins are 0 to 0.1 micrograms per liter and below 10 micrograms per liter, respectively. Since the heart muscle releases such proteins into the blood with an injury occurs, doctors frequently use the test to detect heart damage.
