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A groundbreaking study conducted by researchers at Uppsala University in Sweden suggests that a simple blood test could potentially detect several crucial biological processes active in the months preceding a heart attack. Published in the journal Nature Cardiovascular Research, the study highlights the potential of this blood test to identify individuals at increased risk of experiencing a heart attack within a six-month period, offering a valuable tool for preventive healthcare.
Heart attacks remain the leading cause of death globally, with many high-risk individuals going unidentified or failing to undergo preventive treatment. However, the findings of this study offer new hope in the fight against cardiovascular disease.
According to Johan Sundstrom, a cardiologist and professor of epidemiology at Uppsala University, the challenge lies in the dynamic nature of the period leading up to a heart attack. Risk factors fluctuate significantly during this time, making it difficult to identify individuals who may soon experience their first heart attack.
“We wanted to develop methods that would enable healthcare services to identify people who will soon suffer their first heart attack,” explained Sundstrom, highlighting the need for proactive approaches to cardiovascular risk assessment.
The research team analyzed blood samples from over 169,000 individuals across six European cohorts, identifying around 90 molecules associated with an increased risk of a first heart attack. Remarkably, existing blood samples routinely collected in healthcare settings were found to be sufficient for predicting this risk.
“We identified around 90 molecules that were linked to a risk of a first heart attack. However, the samples that are already taken in healthcare now are enough to predict the risk,” Sundstrom noted.
To make the findings more accessible to the public, the researchers developed a simple online tool that allows individuals to assess their risk of experiencing a heart attack within the next six months. Sundstrom emphasized that increasing awareness of one’s risk could potentially motivate individuals to adopt preventive measures such as medication adherence and smoking cessation.
“This was one of the aims of the entire study since we know that people feel relatively low motivation to follow preventive treatments. If you find out that you happen to have an increased risk of suffering a heart attack soon, perhaps you will feel more motivated to prevent it,” Sundstrom explained.
Moving forward, the researchers plan to further investigate the identified molecules to gain a deeper understanding of their role and explore potential treatment options. This groundbreaking research holds promise in revolutionizing cardiovascular risk assessment and preventive strategies, potentially saving countless lives by identifying and intervening in high-risk individuals before a heart attack occurs.
