Every year, four million people in Europe die from cardiovascular disease—accounting for 42% of female deaths, or nearly one in two women. As the world's leading cause of death, coronary artery disease alone claims 1.8 million lives annually on the continent.
Men have historically been easier to diagnose
Detecting heart attack risk has long been simpler in men. Standard blood tests measure troponin, a muscle contraction protein present in higher quantities in males. Women more often experience subtler symptoms like back pain or abdominal discomfort, which are frequently overlooked as heart attack indicators.
This innovation could save thousands of women's lives
Scientists at the University of Edinburgh, reporting in the British Medical Journal, developed a highly sensitive blood test costing just a few euros. In trials with 1,126 patients, the standard test identified 19% of men (117) and 11% of women (55) as high-risk. The new test added fewer than five men but flagged 111 additional women—a 22% increase. These individuals face elevated risks of future heart attacks or death.
This major medical advance isn't yet routine in all UK hospitals amid ongoing validations, but the test should soon reach clinics worldwide.
