Determination of troponin levels in the blood is currently used primarily to diagnose patients with suspected myocardial infarction. However, in the light of recent research results, it appears that such analyses may also make it possible to predict the risk of death in people who have undergone some non-cardiac surgery. The existence of such a possibility would be particularly beneficial because it is the abnormal troponin level that may be the only abnormality present in the patient.