AACC scientists identify new cardiac biomarker

Plus, get ready for high sensitivity cardiac Troponin assays in practice.

Laboratory medicine experts discovered a new lipid biomarker panel to detect heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) even before symptoms present, with "much greater certainty than standard tests for this condition," according to a January 5 press release from the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC).

The January issue of the AACC's journal, Clinical Chemistry focuses on cardiovascular disease and features research reflecting a "growing understanding of the molecular signatures of heart disease," according to the press release, and a trend towards developing "more precise tests for the early diagnosis, monitoring, and targeted treatment."

The study in question identified three new cardiac lipid biomarkers, a cardiac lipid panel (CLP), which "significantly improved diagnostic performance" when combined with the current standard biomarker approach for diagnosing heart failure, NT-proBNP.

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ACC and AHA Release 10 “Comprehensive” Measures to Combat Sudden Cardiac Death

A new joint report released today by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) offers practitioners and stakeholders ten evidence-based quality and performance measures to prevent sudden cardiac death (SCD).

"This is the first comprehensive measure set in the area of SCD prevention," says Sana Al-Khatib, MD, co-chair of the report writing committee in an ACC press release. "Our vision is that these measures will be developed, tested and implemented in clinical practice and that implementation will improve patient care and outcomes."

Sudden cardiac death a "healthcare crisis"

The American Heart Association reports more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) occurring in 2016 with only 12 percent of people surviving to hospital discharge. These approximate statistics suggest more than 308,000 sudden cardiac deaths per year.

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VIDEO: Ultrasound identifies dangerous plaque

New research in ultrasound out of Lund University in Sweden might be key to better, broader screening for cardiovascular risk.

A relatively simple mathematical calculation developed at Lund University can be used to interpret ultrasound signals and identify whether or not plaques consist of harmless connective tissue and smooth muscle cells or dangerous lipids and macrophages.

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Breast Screening May Also Predict Heart Risk

Continue reading for more news on predicting and screening for cardiovascular disease and risk.

Breast Calcification Correlated to Coronary Calcification

A new study presented at the annual meeting of the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) last week suggested that the breast screening mammogram could be an aid for heart risk assessment.

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