Abbott launches assay for heart attack detection

Abbott has announced that a new test that may help clinicians reduce time in diagnosing heart attacks is set to be released in Europe.

The Architect Stat High Sensitive Troponin-I Assay has received CE Mark approval and can be used to detect cardiac troponin, a protein found in the heart muscle that signifies injury to the heart.

By helping to improve the speed with which heart attacks can be diagnosed, doctors can prevent irreversible damage to the heart, with the test proving particularly useful due to its ability to measure very low levels of the protein.

Brian Blaser, executive vice-president for diagnostic products at Abbott, said: "Abbott's new high sensitive troponin test is an innovative tool to help physicians diagnose more quickly, potentially improving the way heart attacks are diagnosed for patients around the world."

This comes after the firm initiated a clinical trial of the drug-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold Absorb in the US last week, as it seeks to obtain regulatory approval of the device in this territory.