Scientists at the Scripps Research Institute in California believe they have developed a simple blood test that could prove effective in predicting heart attacks.
The procedure, known as a High-Definition Circulating Endothelial Cell analyzes millions of cells for a biomarker called endothelial cells and can predict immediately when someone with chest pains is having a heart attack making it possible to avoid unnecessary hospitalization if the pain is not related to heart symptoms. According to the researchers there are currently no tests to reliably predict heart attacks as all of the current tests detect the underlying high risk condition rather than an imminent plaque rupture. Here’s a link to the story and another to the research.
