Tests May Diagnose Heart Attack Better

New blood tests can diagnose heart attacks sooner and a bit more accurately than older tests, two new studies conclude. All of the tests look for a protein called troponin. High levels are a sign of heart muscle injury. The newer tests can detect troponin earlier. This allows doctors to begin treatment and perhaps prevent heart muscle damage. Researchers in one study took blood samples from 718 emergency room patients who had heart attack symptoms. Doctors tested their blood with four newer tests and an older test. The other study included 1,818 emergency room patients. It compared one new test to an older one. In both studies, the older tests were 85% to 90% accurate. The new tests’ accuracy was 94% to 96%. The studies appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. The Associated Press wrote about them August 27.