Details of New Blood Test That Can Predict Heart Attack

New research has led scientists to a new method of using a simple blood test to predict the likelihood of having a heart attack.
In a new global research study published inCirculation, over 10,000 people of different races, ages and backgrounds, scientists studied 100 epigenetic markers in the blood to understand how changes in our DNA can show our heart health over time.
The changes, known scientifically as DNA methylation, act like tiny chemical “tags” that turn certain genes on or off and are often shaped by one’s lifestyle.
Instead of waiting for severe symptoms to manifest or requiring expensive equipment, physicians can gain a better understanding of a patient’s heart health by analysing the patterns in blood samples.
The researchers found over 600 DNA methylation markers linked to heart health. Out of these, 141 markers were strongly tied to major heart problems such as stroke, heart failure, and even pregnancy-related high blood pressure.
Surprisingly, these markers were accurate even without using common checks like cholesterol or blood pressure. In fact, people with healthy methylation profiles had up to 32 per cent lower risk of heart disease.
Researchers use a scoring system which checks key things like blood pressure, sugar levels, cholesterol, body weight and habits such as exercise, smoking and sleep.
Predictably, people with better lifestyle scores had healthier DNA markers.
“This study raised several important follow-up questions that we tried to answer in this new study: do these cardiovascular health-associated methylation markers replicate in diverse populations across age, sex and race/ethnicity, and do these methylation patterns serve as early biomarkers that can predict incident cardiovascular disease and mortality beyond traditional risk factors?” Zheng, a a co-author of the current study said.
More significantly, people with the so-called ‘favourable’ DNA patterns were up to 32  per cent less likely to develop heart disease and 40 per cent less likely to pass away from it. They were also 45 per cent less likely to die from any heart-related cause.
The latest study essentially suggests that asimple blood test could soon help doctors in Kenyaand around the world find out who is at a higher risk of heart problems long before the situation becomes too dire for a permanent solution.
It is also worth noting that DNA changes are not permanent, with scientists open to taking research a step further by checking to see if improving one’s lifestyle can reverse some of the risky DNA markers.
If it works, it will not only help detect heart disease early, but it will also guide people on what changes they need to make to stay healthy and avoid sudden health emergencies.
The scientists are now working with health companies to create affordable and easy-to-use blood test kits which can be used in clinics and hospitals, including areas where access to heart specialists is limited.
In Kenya, such a test can come in handy, particularly since a majority of the population rarely go for regular check-ups for vital organs such as the heart.
Doctors and scientists now believe that understanding these DNA markers could become one of the most powerful tools in preventing heart disease and saving lives.