Skip to content
A low-cost blood test could dramatically improve how doctors assess your risk of heart attack or stroke.
A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that measuring levels of troponin—a protein released when the heart is damaged—can significantly improve predictions of future cardiovascular events.
Already used in hospitals to diagnose heart attacks, troponin tests could be added to routine cholesterol checks at GP surgeries. When included in cardiovascular health assessments, troponin boosted the accuracy of predictions by up to four times compared to cholesterol alone.
Researchers analysed health data from over 62,000 people across Europe and North America. Participants’ troponin levels were compared alongside age, blood pressure, diabetes status, cholesterol, and more, then tracked for around 10 years.
The test was particularly effective for the 35% of people currently classed as “intermediate risk” – those with a 2.5–15% chance of a heart attack or stroke in the next decade. In this group, up to 8% were reclassified as high risk once troponin levels were factored in.
Modelling showed that for every 500 people tested, one heart attack or stroke could be prevented.
Professor Bryan Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the British Heart Foundation, said:
“This approach could help identify people in need of preventative treatment much earlier, saving lives.”
With over 100,000 heart attack-related hospital admissions annually in the UK, the findings could mark a significant step forward in early intervention.
Read the full story here.
