Top 5 biomarkers of a myocardial infarction and other heart ailments

New research has discovered an AI-based method to predict the future risk of a myocardial infarction or heart attack with 90 per cent accuracy. Here are other factors that you need to monitor to assess your risk of this fatal condition.

We often ignore or downplay symptoms like chest pain or shortness of breath as the manifestations of indigestion. But these could be the signs of a myocardial infarction, also known as heart attack. This cardiac condition occurs due to a blockage in the blood flow to your heart. Thankfully, researchers have found a way to predict myocardial infarction well in advance. According to the study presented at The International Conference on Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiac CT (ICNC) 2019, machine learning algorithms can potentially predict a heart attack or death with 90 per cent accuracy. Considered as a subset of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning algorithm is basically a study of algorithms and statistics that is used by computer systems to perform a specific task. Machine learning relies on patterns and inference, not on explicit instructions. It is a powerful way to predict or calculate suggestions based on a large pool of data. The best examples of machine learning could be the algorithms used by shopping apps like Amazon and Jabong to recommend you products based on the data of products you have purchased or looked for previously.

Researchers enrolled 950 patients with chest pain who underwent tests for coronary artery disease. A coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) scan yielded 58 pieces of data on the presence of coronary plaque, vessel narrowing, and calcification.Those with scans suggestive of disease underwent a positron emission tomography (PET) scan which produced 17 variables on blood flow. Ten clinical variables were obtained from medical records including sex, age, smoking, and diabetes. During an average six-year follow-up there were 24 heart attacks and 49 deaths from any cause. The 85 variables were entered into a machine learning algorithm called `LogitBoost`, which analysed them over and over again until it found the best structure to predict who had a heart attack or died. The algorithm progressively learns from the data and after numerous rounds of analyses, it figures out the high dimensional patterns that should be used to efficiently identify patients who have the event, reports ANI.

Well, AI has surely revolutionised the healthcare sector and will continue to do so in the near future. As it progresses more to ensure quicker diagnosis and more efficient treatment of fatal conditions like myocardial infarction, we tell you about the top biomarkers of this disease. Diagnosing them early on will help you take precautions and access medical help at the right time, reducing your death risk. According to a study published in the journal Circulation, the significant biomarkers of a heart attack or any cardiac ailment for that matter are thick heart muscles, plaque build-up, high blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), NT-proBNP hormone and troponin, another protein. Here is all you need to know about these risk factors.

Thick heart muscles

[caption id="attachment_666371" align="alignnone" width="655"] Electrocardiography can diagnose if your heart muscles have become thick. Shutterstock[/caption]

When your heart muscles become thick, a condition medically termed as cardiomyopathy, their ability to pump blood effectively depletes. This can lead to blood clot formation in your heart. If these clots enter your bloodstream, they can block the blood flow to your heart and brain. This can block blood flow to the heart leading to a myocardial infarction.

Though the exact cause behind cardiomyopathy is still unknown, scientists believe that thick heart muscles result from other acquired or inherited conditions like high blood pressure, chronic rapid heart rate, metabolic disorders, excessive alcohol consumption, connective tissue disorder, etc. If you are suffering from cardiomyopathy, you will experience symptoms like fatigue, chest discomfort, breathlessness etc., which are symptoms of heart attack as well.

Cardiomyopathy is diagnosed by with the help of a 12-lead EKG (named as such because it gathers information from 12 different areas of the heart) or electrocardiography (ECG). It is a non-invasive and painless procedure that detects the electrical activity in your heart. During an EKG or ECG, doctors attach sensors to your chest or limbs to figure out the time that electrical waves take to pass through your heart. The test also measures the strength of these electrical waves generated from special cells in the upper right chamber of your heart. If they take more time than they should, doctors infer that your heart muscles have become thick.

Plaque build-up

[caption id="attachment_666372" align="alignnone" width="655"] Coronary calcium scan is is a type of imaging test that helps to detect calcium-containing plaque in the coronary arteries of your heart. Shutterstock[/caption]

Plaque is a substance composed of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other elements found in the blood. It builds up slowly and steadily on the walls of your arteries, the blood vessels supplying oxygen-rich blood to your heart and other body parts. As the plaque hardens with time shrinking your arteries, blood flow to your heart is blocked and the outcome is a heart attack. Also, your plaque may rupture suddenly, and the blood clot formed over the rupture can also cause a myocardial infarction. This entire process is known as atherosclerosis. If you are suffering from plaque build-up in your arteries, you will experience symptoms like weakness, difficulty in breathing, facial numbness, vomiting, chest pain, loss of appetite, difficulty in concentrating, etc. Certain factors like eating junk foods, smoking, stress, diabetes, a sedentary lifestyle, etc. can increase your risk of plaque formation in your arteries.

To diagnose this condition, doctors perform coronary calcium scan. It is a type of imaging test that helps doctors get the image of your heart and detect calcium-containing plaque in the coronary arteries of your heart. In this procedure, a specialised technology called multislice computerized tomography (CT) is used. It shows multiple images of calcium deposits.

High levels of C-reactive protein (CRP)

[caption id="attachment_666373" align="alignnone" width="655"] CRP is a blood marker of inflammation in any part of the body including your arteries. Shutterstock[/caption]

This is a protein generated by your liver as a reaction to inflammation. CRP is a blood marker of inflammation in any part of the body including your arteries. If your arteries are inflamed, it may lead to a myocardial infarction owing to blocked blood flow to the heart. Your CRP levels are measured through a blood test. Less CRP in your blood indicates low inflammation rate. According to the guidelines of Cleveland Clinic, a reading lower than 1 mg/L signals that your heart is safe. If the range is between 1 and 2.9 mg/L, you are at a moderate risk of heart attack. A reading higher than 3 mg/L is the sign that you fall in the high risk zone for cardiac ailments. However, if the figure is above 10 mg/L, it could signal other diseases like lupus, TB, pneumonia and even cancer.

Increased levels of a prohormone

[caption id="attachment_666374" align="alignnone" width="655"] When increased levels of a prohormone named NT-proBNP are found in your blood, it could be a sign of cardiac damage. Shutterstock[/caption]

NT-proBNP is a prohormone that your heart produces when there are changes in pressure inside this organ. These pressure-related changes can potentially increase your risk of cardiac damage. According to the reference range of Cleveland Clinic, the normal range of this prohormone is less than 125 pg/mL for people aged 0-74 years and less than 450 pg/mL for those in the age bracket of 75-99. If the reading is higher than 450 pg/mL in people under 50 years of age, or above 900 pg/mL for those above 50, then they have a high risk of heart failure. The figures are arrived at with the help of a blood test.

Elevated blood levels of Troponin T protein

[caption id="attachment_666375" align="alignnone" width="655"] The higher the levels of this protein in your blood, the higher is the intensity of cardiac damage. Shutterstock[/caption]

Troponin T is a protein found in your heart muscles. When your cardiac muscles are injured, it is released into the blood. The higher the levels of this protein in your blood, the higher is the intensity of cardiac damage. It also indicates a high risk of a heart attack in the future. A relatively new blood test, known as high-sensitivity troponin Ttest can detect the risk of a myocardial infarction even in people with no symptoms or warning signs. It is expected to be available in India in the near future.

With inputs from ANI