Blood test identifies more heart attacks

A highly sensitive blood test could help identify heart attacks in thousands of patients who would otherwise have gone undiagnosed,. A University study evaluating the test, which identifies heart muscle damage, found that it detected heart attacks in a third more patients who were admitted to hospital with chest pain than previous tests. The research also shows us that it is not just patients with major heart attacks where treatment can make a difference. Even patients with comparatively minor heart damage benefit from these treatments. Dr Nicholas Mills The University's British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardviovascular Science - Impact of diagnosis. After this test was introduced into clinical practice the risk of readmission to hospital with - or dying from - another heart attack within the following year was halved. Patients were more likely to see a specialist and to receive better treatment following the introduction of the more sensitive test.