Emergency care for heart attack patients in the UK could be on the verge of a major transformation, thanks to a groundbreaking rapid test that delivers results at the bedside in minutes rather than hours.
The Breakthrough in Cardiac Testing
Scientists have developed a new point-of-care troponin test that can provide crucial results in as little as 10 minutes. This represents a dramatic improvement over the traditional laboratory method, which can take up to two hours to process a blood sample. The test measures troponin, a protein that leaks into the bloodstream when the heart muscle is damaged, providing doctors with a vital indicator for diagnosing a heart attack.
The research, led by Christchurch Hospital in New Zealand in collaboration with British Heart Foundation-funded experts at the University of Edinburgh, analysed data from a massive study of 59,980 emergency department admissions for chest pain across six hospitals.
Proven Results and Patient Impact
In the study, half of the patients received the standard lab test, while the other half were given the new rapid test. The findings, presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in New Orleans, were striking. Patients who underwent the point-of-care testing were admitted or discharged an average of 47 minutes faster than those in the standard group.
Critically, researchers followed the patients for 30 days after their tests and found no difference in outcomes between the two groups. This confirms that the faster test is just as safe and accurate as the traditional method, allowing doctors to make swift and reliable decisions about whether a patient needs urgent treatment or can safely return home.
A Turning Point for Emergency Care
Experts are hailing this development as a potential turning point for emergency cardiac care worldwide. Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, Clinical Director at the British Heart Foundation and a consultant cardiologist, emphasised the importance of speed in these critical situations.
"Every minute matters if you are having a heart attack," said Dr Babu-Narayan. "And if you aren't, you will want to be reassured or diagnosed with something different as soon as possible. It's exciting to see that the bedside troponin test used in this study had a faster turnaround – providing results within minutes, and without compromising accuracy and safety."
This innovation promises not only to improve patient outcomes but also to significantly relieve pressure on overstretched A&E departments, ensuring that all patients receive the right care at the right time.