Researchers hope new blood test could speed up diagnosis of heart attacks

A NEW blood test could speed up the diagnosis of heart attacks and enable thousands of people not suffering one to go home early, research suggests.

Scientists have discovered a key protein is much more sensitive at indicating damage to the heart muscle than that used in the standard NHS test.

At present, people with chest pain receive a blood test three or more hours after the onset of symptoms which is designed to detect damage to the heart muscle.

The test works by analysing biomarkers including cardiac troponin to work out if people have suffered a heart attack.

Those with undetectable levels of cardiac troponin are classified as low risk and are discharged from hospital.

However, thousands of patients fall into an intermediate risk group and require an overnight stay in hospital and further blood tests.

Scientists have now developed a new test that looks for another biomarker – cardiac myosin-binding protein C – which is found to be even more sensitive at detecting damage to the heart muscle.

Experts believe their new blood test – which could be available in the next six months to a year if industry agrees to develop it – could lead to much more rapid diagnosis and enable those not suffering a heart attack to be sent home far sooner.

It may also pick up more heart attacks not detected by the current test.

The study, published in the journal Clinical Chemistry, found the new test could detect lower levels of heart cell death caused by a heart attack than the troponin test – making it much more sensitive.

Dr Tom Kaier, specialist registrar in cardiology at King’s College London, who led the work, said: “This has the potential to transform the way we diagnose heart attacks in the 21st century.

“We know there has not been a reduction in the number of overnight admissions of patients despite using the best blood tests currently available.

“We are looking at improving the experience of patients by developing new and more sensitive blood tests that could help doctors assess the amount of damage quickly and avoid patients being admitted overnight, unless truly necessary.”

Dr Kaier said one of the problems with the current troponin test is it can only be used three hours after the onset of chest pain.

“Only then would you be able to do a blood test and make an informed decision,” he said. “Troponin takes quite a long time to appear in circulation in the bloodstream.

“By using a test like cardiac myosin-binding protein C, that can test at lower levels, we can test for any sort of injury to the heart earlier on.

“We don’t have to wait for three hours and we can make a decision earlier about whether that patient needs to stay.”

Dr Kaier said research has shown only about 12% to 17% of people with chest pain in hospital turn out to have had a heart attack.

With the troponin test, about 60% of patients need further observation but still turn out to not have had a heart attack, he added.

Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, which part-funded the study, said: “This new test could transform the way we diagnose heart attacks, improving the sensitivity and ensuring that heart attacks are not missed when troponin levels in the blood are extremely low.”

He added: “Over a million people attend A&E with chest pain every year in the UK.

“The main challenge for doctors is identifying who is having a heart attack, so that people can be treated quickly and effectively.

“It’s also important that we can quickly and confidently rule out a heart attack in people with chest pain from other causes.

“If found to be effective, this new approach could ensure thousands of patients get life-saving treatment more quickly while reducing the burden on the NHS.”