United States: Timely and accurate blood tests are crucial for detecting heart attacks, enabling faster medical responses.
With every second crucial in a heart attack situation, this new blood test operates in minutes rather than hours and could be utilized by first responders or even individuals at home.
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Lead author Peng Zheng from Johns Hopkins University emphasized, “Heart attacks necessitate urgent medical intervention for better patient outcomes, but diagnosing them quickly can be extremely challenging outside clinical environments,” as reported by Scitechdaily.com.
“Our team developed a novel technology that can quickly and accurately determine if a person is experiencing a heart attack,” Zheng noted.
This proof-of-concept study, which may also be adapted to identify infectious diseases and cancer biomarkers, is detailed in Advanced Science.
Diagnostic tools using biophotonics
Zheng and senior author Ishan Barman created diagnostic tools utilizing biophotonics, employing laser light to detect biomarkers that indicate a body’s response to various conditions, including disease.
Their technology successfully identifies the initial blood symptoms indicating a heart attack.
Despite the fact that over 800,000 Americans suffer from heart attacks annually, these incidents remain complex, with symptoms varying greatly among individuals and biomarkers often mimicking normal physiological processes during the crucial early stages of a heart attack when immediate intervention is most beneficial.
Patients suspected of having a heart attack usually undergo several procedures for diagnosis, typically involving electrocardiograms—a five-minute procedure measuring the heart’s electrical activity—and blood tests, which can take an hour or longer and may require retesting.
Rapid, precise results and diagnosis
The innovative blood test developed by the team delivers results within five to seven minutes. It is not only more accurate but also less expensive than existing methods.
Designed for quick deployment in clinical settings, this reagent could potentially be transformed into a portable device usable by first responders or individuals at home.
Barman, a bioengineer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, stated, “We focus on speed, accuracy, and the capability to perform tests outside of a hospital,” according to Scitechdaily.com.
“In the future, we envision this technology evolving into a handheld device similar to a Star Trek tricorder, where you can place a drop of blood and receive results in seconds,” he added.