A blood test has been found which can predict a patient’s risk of a fatal heart attack in the next three years.
Scientists checked former heart attack sufferers for the c-reactive protein, a tell-tale sign of inflammation. They also did standard tests for troponin, a protein released into the blood when the heart is damaged.
Of 250,000 NHS patients, those with raised CRP levels and a positive troponin test had a 35% chance of death within three years.
