A device used in research at Mackay Memorial Hospital’s Taipei Branch might soon help provide quick results for testing whether patients are at risk of myocardial infarction, if the results of clinical tests on humans, set to begin in July, are approved, the hospital said.
Mackay Memorial Hospital deputy director Chang Wen-han (張文瀚) said the electronic device would be able to detect enzymes released into the bloodstream due to damage to heart muscles caused by a temporary stop in the flow of oxygen.
The device could produce results in 12 minutes to 15 minutes, compared with the half-hour to hour-long readings when using electrocardiography (ECG), Chang said.
Shortening the time it takes to get results could be the difference between life and death, Chang said, adding that some patients have passed away while still under ECG diagnosis.
Chang said the higher the reading of enzymes in the bloodstream, the higher the risk the patient is at risk of suffering myocardial infarction.
The research could help speed up the reaction time of hospitals treating potential myocardial infarction patients, many of whom are obligated to take a blood test to confirm they are having a heart attack, Chang said.
Should the device receive approval for mass manufacturing, it could help medical personnel assess whether a patient needs to undergo emergency treatment, Chang said.
Enzymes seeping into the bloodstream would only be noticeably higher four hours after damage to heart muscles, Chang said, adding that if patients are suffering from some of the symptoms that indicate possible attacks, they could retake a blood test after three to four hours.
Precursors to an attack are cold sweat, chest pains, shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness and faintness, Chang said, adding that when the condition is mild, it can feel similar to heartburn.
National Taipei University of Technology professor Huang Jung-tang (黃榮堂) said the device detects biological signatures through DNA segments, adding that in addition to myocardial infarction, it has the potential to detect any disease that can be diagnosed via a blood test, such as cancer or acute pyelonephritis.
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