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An Australian suffers a heart attack every 10 minutes, but this figure could change thanks to a breakthrough by a group of researchers in Sydney.
Scientists at the Victor Chang Institute discovered the dangerous plaque that accumulates Blood vessels leading to a heart attack contain a very active inflammatory enzyme.
This is a double discovery for scientists who also found a non-invasive MRI scanner that could be used to accurately detect the presence of problematic plaque.
"Now, for the first time, once this is developed, we will be able to listen if you have a bad plaque and deal with it urgently," said Professor Bob Graham.
In tests on mice, the researchers found that when a chemical probe was injected into the blood, the plaque was easily visible, illuminating like a neon.
They also discovered that after using a drug to block enzymatic activity, the plaque stabilized, making the coronary artery wall more resistant and less likely to become to break up.
The early warning system could be the key to helping doctors diagnose those who are at risk of having a heart attack before it is too late.
The next step is to perform tests on humans, Sydney scientists preparing for clinical trials on a group of patients with a high-risk heart attack.
This should begin in two years
© Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2018
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