The test checks troponin levels in the body. They discovered that people with higher levels of troponin in their blood are at greater risk of a heart attack or stroke within 10 years.
A simple blood test could predict a person’s risk of heart attacks and strokes with greater accuracy than ever before, research suggests.
The test checks troponin levels in the body. Troponin is a protien that is found in heart muscle cells and seeps into the blood when hearts are damaged.
In a study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of the American College of Cardiology, researchers claim that routine check-ups of this protein in the blood can help in the early detection of heart attacks.
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The researchers found that testing for this protein can detect silent ongoing damage to the heart, a sign of a future risk of cardiovascular disease. They discovered that people with higher levels of troponin in their blood are at greater risk of a heart attack or stroke within 10 years.
Reserachers analysed the data of 62,000 people across Europe, North America, and Australia for 10 years after measuring conventional risk factors such as age, blood pressure, history of diabetes, smoking status, and cholesterol levels.
The study found people with higher levels of troponin in their blood were at greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke within 10 years. Modelling suggests that, for people currently found to be at intermediate risk on existing cardiovascular health assessments, the tests would prevent one heart attack or stroke for roughly every 500 people tested.
While the study is promising, more research is needed to analyse the effectiveness of this in low and middle-income countries, people with diabetes, and older people.
