Predicting heart disease & stroke with a blood test

Imagine getting a simple blood test to help doctors predict your risk for having a heart attack or stroke.

That test exists, and that scenario could become reality, according to a new study.

In recent years, blood tests have become so refined that some can detect very low levels of proteins, known as troponin. Researchers determined that troponin levels in healthy middle-aged to older adults could help predict their risk for eventually developing cardiovascular disease. Their findings were published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.