New test aims to stem threat of ‘silent’ heart attacks

Cardiovascular disease is one of Australia’s largest health problems. The Heart Foundation says it accounts for a quarter of all deaths in Australia and claims the life of one person every 12 minutes, but it’s also a disease that takes time to evolve and can be a “silent” killer, with many people unaware that they have a problem.

A trial is under way in Sydney, however, aiming to catch heart problems in low or medium-risk individuals before they end up in ER.

Several GP clinics are recruiting 1000 patients to take a simple blood test to see if they carry genetic variants associated with an increased lifetime risk of heart disease. The test potentially flags them as being at a higher risk than otherwise considered using traditional factors, such as having high cholesterol or high blood pressure.

“Patients are being missed and I

want to be at the forefront of finding new ways to diagnose Coronary Artery Disease,” says Amy Ho, a GP with Our Medical Crows Nest. “Our research has shown that one in four people suffering a type of heart attack called an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) at Royal North Shore Hospital did not have any of the standard cardiovascular risk factors we look for.” Dr Ho teamed up with Sydney University and Royal North Shore Hospital for the trial, which began in

August. After taking an initial blood test, patients are checked twice across 12 months and anyone who’s flagged has further investigations.

Heart Foundation chief medical officer Garry Jennings says people shouldn’t just assume they are at a low or medium risk for heart problems. “This is still true even in people with major risk factors that are not recognised or not treated. There is no way a person can know if they have high blood pressure or abnormal cholesterol if they are not tested. People need to see their GP and have the relevant tests,” he says.