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Spit test promises to diagnose heart attacks in just 10 minutes:
New preliminary research is suggesting a simple saliva test can detect the presence of a protein biomarker known to signal the occurrence of a heart attack in just 10 minutes. If this prototype test is validated in future studies it could dramatically accelerate the speed at which patients with cardiovascular problems can be diagnosed and treated.
During a myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, levels of a protein called troponin rapidly rise in a patient's blood stream. Not every heart attack is immediately apparent. Symptoms such as chest pain, nausea and fatigue can be frustratingly non-specific, so when a patient presents to an emergency room with these signs doctors will quickly perform a blood test to measure troponin levels. The blood test generally takes around an hour to return a result.
[...] Saliva samples were taken from 32 heart attack patients with confirmed blood troponin results. Control saliva samples were also taken from 13 healthy subjects.
The initial results proved promising, with the processed saliva samples from the heart attack patients testing positive for troponin 84 percent of the time. Only six percent of the unprocessed saliva samples tested positive for troponin, suggesting the processing procedure is vital in concentrating the saliva samples for effective results. It is unclear at this stage what the "processing" procedure entails, or how easy and affordable it is.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 30 2020, @09:29PM (5 children)
It only takes seconds to realize you are having a heart attack - the excruciating chest pain is a dead give-away, although I hear some folks don't feel it. It is also a pretty good clue when symptoms disappear after ingesting a nitro pill.
Had I waited ten minutes to take a nitro pill, I might have been a goner on multiple occasions.
I suppose this "spit" test is an advance, although any good cardiologist can diagnose heart difficulties from existing blood tests and an EKG, so I'm not sure it is a dramatic advance.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 30 2020, @10:07PM
It's true, some folks have no symptoms. A moment or two of light headedness, and then you awaken in the ambulance. Speaking from personal experience.
(Score: 0, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 30 2020, @11:33PM (2 children)
I'm hoping I have my heart attack while I'm asleep, and just pass away. I'm sure someone will notice the smell in a few days. Besides my family could use the life insurance money (not that my family likes me much, I just hate the insurance company).
I also hope that, should I wake, I have the fortitude not to call for an ambulance, and just let it happen. It'll probably be easier than being taken down by whichever mob eventually comes to burn down my apartment building.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 31 2020, @01:02AM (1 child)
If you will identify your apartment building, we'll take care of the burning this evening.
Thank you,
Antifa
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 31 2020, @01:50PM
Pepper spray and paint balls free of charge.
Best,
The MAGA Army
(Score: 2) by legont on Monday August 31 2020, @12:21PM
Not true. Up to a fourth of heart attacks are missed by doctors - false negatives. It'd safe to assume another quarter is not reported at all.
I am the case. I just ignored my firts heart attack - parked on the side of the road and let it pass. I did go to my doctor with the second one and he missed it.
How do I know they were heart attacks? When the third one was diagnosed, I learned what that specific pain means. One can't mix it up with anything else once one knows. However, a fresh patient describes his pain in words and if he is pain tolerant and looks healthy and fit like I am most doctors blame stomach or injury. Why? Because they are going after the most likly and cheapest for the insurance scenarious.
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.