This timeline shows how research has helped to develop a test to better detect heart attacks.
Published: 28 October 2022
Identifying heart attacks more accurately
Heart attacks are diagnosed using a blood test that measures levels of a protein called troponin. Historically, these tests were not sensitive enough to detect a heart attack until 10-12 hours after symptom onset.
Research by the NIHR and other funders has established that a high-sensitivity troponin (HST) test can identify, or rule out, heart attacks quickly and accurately.
HST tests save the NHS more than £100 million every year.
Impact timeline
Research
Research shows that the high-sensitivity troponin (HST) test is the best single diagnostic marker for heart attack in patients with chest pain.
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Funded by: NIHR
Research
Evidence suggests that the HST test has the potential to rule out heart attacks within the target window of four hours and may be cost-effective.
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Funded by: NIHR
Impact
Guidelines on diagnosis of heart attack are updated to recommend using the HST test to rule out a diagnosis of heart attack.
Research
New research shows the HST test can accurately assess a person's future heart attack risk.
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Funded by: British Heart Foundation and NHS Scotland
Research
The HST test is shown to safely rule out heart attack for approximately two thirds of patients with chest pain within one hour of their arrival in the emergency department.
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Funded by: Roche Diagnostics and supported by NIHR
Impact
Research findings used to support a change in clinical guidelines to recommend the HST test for assessment and diagnosis of chest pain.
Impact
HST test is adopted by 92 out of 125 NHS acute hospital trusts, facilitated through the Accelerated Access Collaborative.
Impact
British In Vitro Diagnostics Association and Innovate UK identify the HST test as one of three diagnostics that, between them, could save the NHS at least £6.9 billion.
Research
Research on using the HST test in hospitals shows that it can help doctors identify people not experiencing a heart attack and discharge them quickly and safely.
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Funded by: British Heart Foundation
Impact
84% of NHS acute hospital trusts report using the HST test, with one trust reporting a 42% reduction in avoidable chest pain admissions and an associated cost saving.
Impact
Annual hospital bed days for chest pain admissions have decreased by 90,000 days since 2013, saving the NHS in excess of £100 million per year.
The data and sequence of events presented in the infographic is a snapshot of the wider work carried out across the research and development and health and care research ecosystem in the UK. It was not possible to undertake a comprehensive analysis of all the work that has underpinned this area.
This infographic should therefore be treated as a high-level overview.