Since the Corus CAD blood test can determine if chest pain is being caused by clogged arteries, why aren’t all patients with chest pain in the emergency room given this test?
Wouldn’t that more efficiently eliminate needless imaging tests that use radiation?
Why isn’t this test a standard protocol in emergency rooms for people presenting with chest pain and other symptoms that are often caused by obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) such as shortness of breath?
“In clinical trials, patients with acute chest pain suggestive of a heart attack (acute myocardial infarction) were excluded from the studies,” says David N. Smith, MD, a board certified cardiologist with Dynamic Health in Charlotte, NC.
“The Corus® CAD test is not indicated for patients experiencing a heart attack, as they need to be evaluated and treated quickly in the ER.
“The Corus® CAD test has been established for use in ‘stable’ patients with non-acute signs and symptoms suggestive of obstructive CAD.
“Additionally, the turnaround time for test results is 48 to 72 hours. This timeframe is not feasible for a quick emergency room diagnosis.”
In the ER, a person with chest pain receives a blood test to measure the amount of troponin in their blood.
Troponin is a protein-enzyme that leaks into the bloodstream when heart tissue is damaged. The result of this blood test can be ready in about 15 minutes.
Often, a second such test is necessary, since the first test result might not be definitive for a heart attack.
However, the second test is usually given about four hours later, which by then a diagnosis for sure can be made, as troponin levels continue rising after a heart attack.
Dr. Smith is a published author, national lecturer and Yale-trained physician-scientist certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Cardiovascular Disease.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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