A blood test can help determine the risk of heart attack and stroke better than cholesterol levels. This cheap test, priced at Rs 565 (5 British pounds), has been developed by researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

It tests the level of troponin in the body. Troponin is a protein that helps our heart function well by managing muscle contractions. Its release in the bloodstream due to heart damage is the main indicator of heart attack.

In a study published in the Peer-review Journal of the American College of Cardiology, researchers claim that a regular check-up of this protein in the blood may help in the initial detection of the heart attack.

The study was held on 62,000 people across Europe, North America and Australia, which was up to 10 years after measuring traditional risk factors such as age, blood pressure, history of diabetes, smoking conditions and cholesterol levels.

Researchers found that tests for this protein could detect silent damage to the heart, indicating the future risk of heart disease.

He also came to know that people with high levels of troponin in their blood are at greater risk of heart attack or stroke within 10 years.

The study mentions that adding troponin tests in the current method of detecting a heart attack via cholesterol can increase accuracy by four times.

For those who are in their intermediate stage, the test can prevent a heart attack or stroke that is for testing almost every 500 people.

Troponin test is effective in increasing risk in 35% of people in intermediate phase. Depending on their age, people with a possibility of 2.5 to 15% of having a heart attack or stroke within 10 years are said to be at risk.

The study further states that giving people in the intermediate phase can help reduce heart attacks and stroke risk, especially after troponin test.

This test is cost-effective because its cost is 566 (5 British pounds), which is at a permeable with tests of cholesterol.

“Troponin, even in the general range, is a powerful indicator of silent heart muscle damage. Thus, the test provides an additional layer of information that we can use to promote our accuracy when predicting the risk of people,” said Anup Shah, the lead author of the study.

This will help identify high risk people and involve preventive treatment for the disease.

The co-writer of the study, Dr. Spencer Keenne, “Cardiovascular Risk Prediction Tools are designed to help healthy individuals and their physicians to determine whether statin and other preventive treatment will be beneficial.”

While the study is promising, more research is required to analyze its effectiveness in low and medium -income countries, diabetes people and older people.