Trauma-induced secondary cardiac injuries imply the clinical occurrence of adverse cardiac events such as acute coronary syndrome, atrial fibrillation, myocardial depression and ventricular arrhythmia in severely injured patients without mechanical heart damage and are characterized by elevated systemic levels of troponin I and heart fatty acid binding protein (HFABP) (5–7). The gene discussed is FABP3; the disease is atrial fibrillation.