Scientists at the Robert Wood School of Medicine have successfully tested a wrist device that can detect the presence of a heart attack with 90% accuracy. The study is presented at the annual scientific session of the American College of Cardiology.
For the trial, researchers enrolled 239 patients with suspected heart attacks at five centers in India. They placed sensors on their wrists that shine infrared light on their skin to detect the troponin-I protein in their blood.
The data from the sensors was analyzed using machine learning. Results were compared with laboratory studies. The method made it possible to predict troponin-I levels with 90% accuracy.
A heart attack occurs when the arteries that supply blood to the heart become blocked, restricting the supply of oxygen to the heart and the rest of the body. At the same time, troponin-I protein, an indicator of heart muscle damage, is released into the blood.
The troponin blood test is usually used when a patient has chest pain, but there is no clear indication of a heart attack on the electrocardiogram. However, the process of drawing blood and sending the sample takes some time. The device will reduce the time for first aid to patients who have had a heart attack.
Scientists believe wearable sensor technology for transcutaneous biomarker detection could be adapted to other diseases.