Human ischemia modified albumin is used as a diagnostic marker for diagnosis of early stages of ischemia. Ischemia modified albumin is used for myocardial ischemia before the necrosis occurs. Ischemia modified albumin is also known to increase in cases like critical limb ischemia, pulmonary infarction and cerebrovascular disease conditions. Ischemia modified albumin is approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a serum biomarker of cardiac ischemia. It is also used as a risk stratification tool in cases which are suspected as acute coronary syndrome. The increase in marker levels is an indication of myocyte necrosis which occurs during or after CABG surgery. Ischemia modified albumin is formed after the N terminal of albumin is damaged during ischemic conditions. Various conditions including free oxygen radicals, acidosis, endothelial and extracellular hypoxia leads to an increased levels of Ischemia modified albumin.

The concentration of Ischemic modified albumin are tested through an assay method called as the albumin cobalt binding test. The test measures the binding of cobalt to NH2 terminus of human albumin. Many studies are performed to determine and understand the role of ischemic modified albumin in ischemic conditions occurring in different organs. This is the one marker which shows earliest indications of myocardial ischemia. But levels of ischemia modified albumin is also known to elevate in other pathological conditions which needs to be considered too.