A new test identifies signs of heart attack before they occur

British doctors from the University of Edinburgh have tested a protein called troponin, a highly sensitive protein in the blood, which is released into the bloodstream by the heart muscle when it is damaged.

The test determines the signs of a heart attack years before they occurred, and the test was approved as a predictive test.

"Troponin levels can be used as a measure of heart health, more directly than current screening tools," said Nick Mills, a cardiologist and vascular science researcher at the university who led the test.

"The technology used to measure troponin in the blood is now well developed to know about previous or potential heart infections, as well as to confirm the general health of the heart," Ms. Mills said. "These tests can help doctors determine the effectiveness of certain treatments – the treatment and the body's response to this treatment.

He pointed out that the examination of the level of troponin in the blood was not enough on its own to control heart health because it was necessary to exercise or modify its diet, in addition to the Drug use, the best ways to prevent strokes and heart attacks.

Current predictions for heart attacks rely on lifestyle, age, and weight to determine if a person has a heart attack within 10 years.
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