New Blood Tests Show Promise for Early Detection of Heart Risks
By Better Health Research Team • Oct 19th, 2009 • Category: Health E-Hint
In order to detect elevated levels of a hormone known as troponin your doctor may administer blood tests. The presence of this hormone can indicate damage to your heart muscle, which may increase your risk for a heart attack. It can take a long time to find out the results of these tests and the damage may already be done.
Two studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine conducted by researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and the University Hospital in Basel, Switzerland, show that new improved tests can help with early detection.
Scientists evaluated close to 3,000 patients with warning symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath. The newer tests were up to 96 percent accurate in correctly identifying the levels of troponin, while the old tests were as low as 85 percent accurate.
There’s good news financially, too. Medical experts indicate that the tests aren’t more expensive than the older ones and are regularly covered by most insurance companies.
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