High Sensitive Troponin assay reveals heart attack

High Sensitive Troponin assay (HST) – a sensitive blood test that can determine if a person with heart attack symptoms is really having an episode.

Cardiac troponin testing is routinely done whenever a person is suspected of having a heart attack. Troponin is a complex protein bound to the cardiac muscle, which is released into the blood whenever the heart muscle is injured. Elevated troponin levels in blood thus indicate damage to the heart muscles. Higher the level of troponin, the greater the damage.

The standard troponin test used for diagnosing heart attacks currently in hospitals picks up troponin levels in blood, which rises significantly within four to six hours of a heart attack. The new HST assay is so sensitive that it detects even the slightest elevation in troponin levels.

The cardiology department at many major private hospitals has now shifted to HST assay as it ensures that we do not miss a heart attack. HST assay becomes all the more significant for diagnosing heart attacks in women because the standard test may not detect the slight variations in troponin levels in women, which may have a lot of impact on clinical decisions.

“If a patient comes to the emergency room with chest pain and the clinical signs and ECG readings are not clear, then an HST assay will help in confirming if he is having a heart attack. The test costs between Rs.500-1000.