Simple Tests To Reduce Heart Attack Deaths

Simple, widely available tests—one of which only costs $15—could help prevent heart attack deaths, according to new research. One of the studies, published in the journal Heart , is first to show that an electrocardiogram (ECG) administered by paramedics in ambulance crews is associated with improved survival after a heart attack, according to lead study author professor Tom Quinn from the University of Surrey.

The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), included nearly half a million heart attack patients admitted to hospitals in England and Wales. People who received an ECG—a test that records the heart’s rhythms and electrical activity—in the ambulance had significantly lower 30-day death rates, compared to those who did not receive the test.
Dr. Mike Knapton, associate medical director of the BHF, said in a statement: "This research suggests that if someone suffering a suspected heart attack has a simple ECG test before they reach hospital, it can help save their life.”
In the United States, however, only about 25 percent of such patients get an ECG in the ambulance, despite scientific evidence showing that getting one leads to faster treatment, the study authors report.
7 Warning Signs of Heart Attack

ECG Leads to Life-Saving Treatment

The researchers found that one third (more than 165,000) of the patients in the study did not received an ECG in the ambulance, even though the test “helps paramedics provide the most appropriate treatment outside hospital and means that hospital staff are more prepared when the patient arrives,” reports Dr. Knapton.
A key finding of the study was that having an ECG in the ambulance was the strongest predictor of whether patients received treatment to reopen the blocked artery. This treatment helps save lives by reducing damage to the heart muscle, explains Amy Doneen, ARNP, medical director of the Heart Attack & Stroke Prevention Center in Spokane, Washington.
Earlier research also shows that women and minorities are less likely to receive other treatments that have been shown to be beneficial or lifesaving after a heart attack, explaining why both groups tend to have worse survival after cardiac events, adds Doneen.

$15 Blood Test Predicts Heart Attack Risk

A simple, widely available blood test could help predict which patients with chest pain are at risk for a heart attack, according to another new study published in Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Because chest pain is a relatively common symptom, the ability to rule out heart attack risk in the ER with a simple, low-cost blood test is an important breakthrough, says Doneen.
The test checks for levels of a biomarker called high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT), a substance released when heart muscle dies.  Higher-than-normal levels of hs-cTnT are a sign of heart damage and elevated risk for a heart attack. Swedish researchers report that if levels of this biomarker and an ECG are both normal, there is a 99 percent probability that the patient will not suffer a heart attack during the next month—and a 100 percent probability that the person will not die from cardiovascular causes during that time span.
Easy Ways to Lower Blood Pressure
The test used in the study is widely available in the U.S. through medical providers and hospitals—and it comes with a small price tag. The blood test costs about $15 and is covered by most insurance plans, according to Stan Morse, regional sales director of Singulex, Inc., makers of test in the US.
The Swedish study included nearly 15,000 patients who had sought medical help at a Stockholm Hospital for chest pain over a two-year period.

Predicting Long-Term Risk of Cardiovascular-Related Death

The Swedish study adds to earlier research reporting that this test can also predict long-term risk for heart-related death. In a 2012 study published in Journal of Clinical Chemistry, initially healthy patients were tracked for eight to 15 years. Those with rising levels of hs-cTnT during the study period were more than eight times more likely to die from cardiovascular (CV) causes than those with stable levels.
The study analyzed blood test results from 211 people who died from CV causes and those from 253 matched control patients. The study took such factors as age, sex, smoking, abdominal obesity, cholesterol, diabetes, and other biomarkers into account.
Doneen cautions that this test is just one of many biomarkers—including blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, and inflammation—that should be tracked in patients with cardiovascular risk.