Abbott: Point-of-care tests speeds up treatment decisions

Abbott has said patient side point-of-care testing in emergency departments can facilitate quicker treatment decisions for individuals suffering from chest pains.

The company said the use of diagnostic testing near the site of the patient can speed up treatment decision-making by up to 20 minutes when compared to standard laboratory testing.

Recent research involving 2,000 patients with chest pain or possible acute coronary syndrome revealing these findings has been published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.

Patients in this study were tested using the iStat System from Abbott.

The iStat is an advanced, handheld diagnostic tool offering real-time results of laboratory quality within a matter of minutes.

Dr Richard Ryan, vice-chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, said: “For patients presenting with chest pain, rapid diagnosis and the initiation of treatment can mean the difference between life and death.”

He added earlier diagnosis of a heart attack is better for a patients heart, health and life, making these findings very significant.

In October 2007, Abbott reported its iStat handheld blood analyser had received a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments waiver, to make its use outside the hospital environment more readily available.