New generation blood tests could speed up diagnosis of heart attacks

Juan Garcia went to the Foothills Emergency Room a few weeks ago, thinking he was having a heart attack

"I had chest pain, strong chest pain symptoms," said Garcia.

But Garcia,who'd had a heart attack and bypass surgery a few years ago,was in for a long wait.

Right now, doctors test patients' blood repeatedly for troponin a protein released into the blood when the heart is damaged.

A diagnosis can take up to 12 hours.

"You've been told you may have had a heart attack but you need to wait," said Garcia. "You're very anxious."

But physicians at Foothills Hospital hoping to dramatically reduce that wait.

They're trying a new,more sensitive testthat can show if troponin is present at much lower levels.

Decongest ERs

Lead investigator and emergency room physician Dr. James Andruchowsays this new way of analyzing blood shows a lot of promise.

"By being able to detect changes in the level of protein at an earlier stage,we can potentially diagnose heart attack much sooner, as well as tell people that they have not had a heart attack much sooner,"saidAndruchow.

Researchers say patients could have a diagnosis within an hour or two, freeing up much needed beds.

Currently, roughly 85 per cent of people who go to the ER with chest pain aren't actually having a heart attack.

"We can decongest the emergency departments. We can provide more efficient, safer patient care," said Andruchow.

So far researchers have enrolled about 250 patients in the study. They're hoping for 750.

Results are expected by November and doctors say if it goes well, the new test could be used in Calgary ER's within a year or two.