Predicting heart attacks in people may have become something of the present, as a new HealthDay report by Dennis Thompson highlights research by Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, showing that a three-pronged blood test can identify people with nearly triple the risk of heart attack.
This test relies on three blood markers that are linked to heart disease: Lipoprotein A, remnant cholesterol, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). Researchers reported on the findings on Nov. 10 with the American Heart Association in New Orleans.
Lipoprotein A is a type of cholesterol driven by genetic factors that can cause clogged arteries, researchers said. Remnant cholesterol is a harmful fat particle in the blood that may be missed by standard cholesterol tests, but also contributes to clogged arteries. hsCRP measures inflammation in the body, with levels signaling the body is under stress that could do damage to a person’s arteries. For the study, researchers analyzed data on more than 300,000 participants in the UK Biobank, which is a long term health research project in the United Kingdom. The participants were all free of heart disease when they were initially placed in the study, and then their heart attack rates were tracked for a median duration of 15 years. These rates were then compared to the blood tests that evaluate the earlier mentioned heart attack risk markers.
Results showed that participants with all three test results in the highest ranges had nearly triple the typical risk of heart attack. Those with two of the three at high results had more than double the risk of heart attack, and those with a single elevated result had about a 45 percent increased risk of heart attack. “Each of the blood tests on its own indicate only a modest increase in heart attack risk; however, when we found elevated levels for all three, the risk of heart attack was nearly three times higher,” said one of the study’s authors, Dr. Richard Kazibwe.
These tests are not part of normal screening but may be considered upon request. Some doctors may be reluctant to offer these tests due to cost and individual health insurance, but with tests getting more and more accurate, they are becoming essential for preventative heart care.
To learn more about these tests and heart health, the American Heart Association has more information on heart health screenings.
