New blood test could help diagnose patients most at risk of cardiovascular illnesses after undergoing a heart attackaccording to results of a study published in the medical journal European Heart Journal.
Researchers at the University of Sheffield in the UK analyzed blood plasma samples from more than 4,300 patients with acute coronary syndrome, a disease characterized by the blockage of one or more coronary arteries. To assess the risk of recurrence, the scientists searched for a relevant biomarker. They calculated the maximum density of a clot and its time to break down, a process called clot lysis.
A biomarker of recurrence
The results of this study showed that one year after this calculation, patients who showed the longest time for dissolution (lysis) of the blood clot were exposed to a 40% increased risk of recurrence of myocardial infarction or death due to heart disease. New treatments targeting clot lysis time may improve prognosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome.
“Our results provide exciting clues as to why some patients are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease after a heart attack and how we might respond to these situations with new treatments,” says Professor Rob Storey, co- author of the study.
“We now need to explore the possibilities of tailoring treatment to a person’s risk following a heart attack and test whether drugs that improve clot lysis time can reduce this risk.”
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