Developing the next generation of troponin tests

High-sensitivity cardiac troponin beyond the acute coronary syndrome

Edinburgh researchers are striving to improve the detection and diagnosis of heart attack in men and women, and subsequent care afterwards. When the heart is damaged, a protein is released from heart cells. Tests to detect this protein, called troponin, are one of the tools used by doctors to diagnose or rule out heart attack in people attending hospital with chest pain. BHF-funded researchers discovered that a more sensitive troponin test was better at diagnosing heart attacks, especially in women. However, the same researchers believe that the way these tests are interpreted could be improved to more accurately identify which patients have had a heart attack and enable better treatment decisions. This study will combine clinical observations and individual patient characteristics with trials of troponin tests and use the power of artificial intelligence to help better determine the levels of troponin that confirm or rule out heart attack. The researchers will also develop better tools to help doctors and nurses judge the risk of heart attack in individual patients, and tests to confirm a diagnosis. Their aim is to create the most accurate heart tests to save more lives, and to enable doctors to take a personalised evidence-based approach to a patient’s ongoing care.