Blood antibody test could show if you are at risk of heart attack

AN ANTIBODY test to show which people are most at risk from heart attacks could soon be available.

Antibodies are produced by the immune system to identify and fight foreign objects in the body, such as bacteria and viruses. Research by Imperial College and the British Heart Foundation has found that people with high levels of a particular type of antibody have lower levels of dangerous fatty plaque in their arteries, leading to a reduced risk of heart attacks.

The discovery means the immune systems of some people are primed to fight off dangerous cholesterol, which can form into plaques. Therefore, finding out which people have low levels of the antibody can show who is most at risk of heart problems.

Dr Adam Hartley, of the Khamis Laboratory, National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London and one of the lead authors of the study, said: “The use of an antibody blood test as an indicator of levels of dangerous plaque could certainly improve the accuracy of doctors’ risk predictions. This simple, quick blood test could be a new way of spotting dangerous atherosclerosis, a condition that many people do not know they have. This could improve treatment decisions and save lives.”

Atherosclerosis is the build-up of fatty plaques in the arteries. If a plaque ruptures, a deadly blood clot can form and block the blood supply to the heart or brain. Atherosclerosis causes most heart attacks and strokes. Plaques can be detected using CT scans, but scientists believe an antibody test offers a possible cheaper and faster alternative and could be available within four years.

The research is published in the journal