Rapid blood test could speed up myocardial infarction diagnosis

A new blood test could potentially help to rule out myocardial infarction more quickly than the current troponin tests, finds a study in Circulation.1

The new test analyses concentrations of a biomarker called cardiac myosin binding protein C (cMyC). Concentrations of this protein increase more rapidly after a myocardial infarction and to a higher extent than troponin, which means the test could potentially rule out myocardial infarction in a higher proportion of patients straight away.

Over two thirds of people who attend hospital emergency departments with chest pain have not had a myocardial infarction. The UK researchers said that this new biomarker could mean such patients could …