Doctors may soon be able to identify people at a high risk of death following a suspected heart attack thanks to new research funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
The study found that measuring levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood after a heart attack can identify those at risk of death within three years.
The test is already used to diagnose other conditions that emerge from inflammation in the bloodstream.
Those identified as high risk of death could be given a more aggressive treatment while those at lower risk could be sent home.
The collaboration between the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London and the National Institute for Health Research Health Informatics Collaborative (HIC) is the largest study of its kind.
Professor James Leiper, Associate Medical Director at BHF, said:
“Every 5 minutes, someone is admitted to a UK hospital with a heart attack, and it is estimated that there are 1.4 million people in the UK who have survived a heart attack.
“This test presents a valuable new tool in doctors’ arsenal to direct quick and effective care for the millions of heart attack patients.
“By better identifying which people are most at risk, this simple blood test could help to direct anti-inflammatory treatments to those who most need it.”
Currently, when doctors think a person had had a heart attack they test for the protein troponin which is released into the bloodstream when the heart is damaged.
But the researchers found that combining this test with a CRP test provides a much more detailed measure of risk.
The researchers used data from 250,000 patients who were admitted to hospital with a suspected heart attack.
The level of CRP in the blood is normally 2 mg/L or under.
However, the researchers found that a mildly raised measurement of 10-15 mg/L CRP in those with a positive troponin test predicted a greater than 35 per cent chance of death three years later.
Dr Ramzi Khamis, BHF Intermediate Clinical Research Fellow and consultant cardiologist at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London said:
“Testing for this biological ‘red flag’ at the same time as other hospital tests identifies those more vulnerable patients who should be receiving closer medical attention.
“Importantly, we hope with more research, we can be successful in developing new therapies that specifically combat inflammation to improve outcomes in heart disease.”
Dr Amit Kaura, BHF Clinical Research Fellow and lead researcher for the NIHR HIC at Imperial College London added:
“This study shows that analysing large sets of real-world clinical data can cast light on patterns of disease and identify those at high risk of dying.
“We hope to use this knowledge to guide our clinical decision making in treating patients with suspected heart attacks.”