£5 blood test identifies heart and stroke risks

A BLOOD test that can spot damage to the heart muscle could help spare patients from a heart attack or stroke, researchers say.

- By Hanna Geissler Health Editor

The £5 check measures levels of troponin, a protein released into the blood when the organ is damaged.

It is already used in hospitals to diagnose heart attacks and can be ordered by GPs.

Now, a study suggests that adding the test to the standard algorithm assessment which gives a 10-year risk score using factors like cholesterol levels - improves accuracy.

The research found that when troponin levels were included, around 8% of people originally classified as intermediate risk were changed to high risk.

They could then be offered preventative treatments such as statins.