New Blood Test Detects Heart Attacks Three Times Faster at Henry Mayo

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital is pleased to announce that it is the first hospital in Los Angeles County and the third in California to offer the new High-Sensitivity Troponin blood test that can detect a heart attack in patients within three hours versus the standard fifteen hours.

Every year approximately 8 million emergency room visits in the United States include patients with some form of chest pain. A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to an area of the heart is interrupted. The longer the heart is without blood, the more damage can occur.

When Troponin is detected in the blood stream of a patient, it’s a sign that cardiac cells have been damaged from a heart attack. The new generation Troponin blood test offers greater sensitivity in the diagnosis of a heart attack, enabling physicians to more accurately identify this condition in patients.

“The new High-Sensitivity Troponin blood test is great for patients because the earlier we can diagnose and treat someone with chest pain in the emergency room, the more lives we can impact and potentially save in our community,” said Bud Lawrence, MD, medical director of Henry Mayo’s Emergency Department. “Every minute counts during a life-threatening condition. The High-Sensitivity Troponin test is a great advancement in emergency medicine and we are thrilled to be the first hospital in LA County to be able to use it.”