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In
recent studies, doctors are trying new tests to predict heart attacks by a blood
test. According to
SouthCoastToday.com the tests are no better than cholesterol levels,
and blood pressure. The thing that they are testing in blood is a substance
called C-reactive protein, or CRP. It appears to be a great heart attack
detector. Scientists at
Framingham Heart Study say
that CRP, BNP, and eight other substances are only a percent in predicting heart
attacks. Although, there are standard risk factors like smoking, family history,
lack of exercise, and diabetes prove to contribute to predicting hearts attacks
as well. Seeing how they will not be covered by insurance, these tests will run
anywhere between $25 to more than $150. The Director of preventive cardiology
at
Beth
Israel
Medical
Center
in New York, Dr. Richard Stein, predicts that some insurance companies will tell
doctors to limit the number of tests given.
According to Dr. Sidney Smith, the former president of
the American Heart Association and the director of the Center for Cardiovascular
Science and Medicine at
University
of
North Carolina
notes that the new tests may not apply to everyone. The sample tests where done
on frozen blood samples from residents at Framingham from the mid-1900s, and
they were almost all white and Europeans. He also says that the findings will
help both doctors and patients work harder to get the serious risk factors under
control. One question that came up was “Where is the next frontier?” Levy said
that the answer could come from two federal studies. One, with results expected
next year, is examining about 500,000 genetic variations in 10,000 people to
spot differences linked to heart disease; the other, still being planned, will
examine about 150 biomarkers to see which ones best predict future heart
problems.
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