easy to do and results in minutes

Heart attacks are always one of the most difficult conditions to diagnose, with symptoms that vary widely and biological signals that can be subtle and easy to miss in the early stages of an attack. In Europe, they kill more than cancer and exceed diseases of the respiratory system, infectious and parasitic diseases and those of the nervous system combined.

Medical intervention is essential to determine that these symptoms are coming from a heart problem and act in time. Always have equipment on hand

This can reveal doubts, so whether the person seeks help or healthcare personnel act quickly can make a difference. Hence the relevance of this new rapid and portable test designed by researchers at Johns Hopkins University (JHU).

Results in minutes

Of all the tests a patient can undergo, electrocardiograms are common; Measuring the electrical activity of the heart takes about five minutes. Then, there are longer delays when analyzing the blood to determine the characteristics of the heart attack. Laboratory work can therefore last at least an hour and often has to be repeated.

This time would be reduced with the new test, with the blood test created by the team providing results in just five or seven minutes. Researchers say it is more accurate and more affordable than tests currently available to health care providers.

As development progresses this could become an available tool in many spaces, offices, gyms or ambulances. “We’re talking about speed, precision and the ability to make measurements outside of a hospital,” said Ishan Barman, a biological engineer in JHU’s Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Although the invention was initially intended to be a tool for emergency teams in ambulances or hospitals, the researchers clearly foresee that in the future a heart attack detector could be used at home. “In the future, we hope that this can become a portable instrument like a Star Trek tricorder

where you have a drop of blood and, voilà, within seconds you have detection,” says Ishan Barman, a bioengineer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at JHU.

For those who didn’t enjoy this legendary science fiction series, the tricorder was a portable device similar to a camera but with scanning, data analysis and communication functions. Mr. Spock carried this device attached to a strap; Over the seasons, its design has improved to fit in the palm of the hand.

Detecting cancer

This new device uses a technology called Raman spectroscopy which allows certain models of molecules to be identified with great precision. It is a chemical analysis that provides detailed information about a substance using light (a wide range of laser wavelengths) that interacts with its chemical bonds. Tests like this have been used in other rapid diagnostics, such as a breathalyzer-like device that detects Covid-19 in five minutes without being as invasive as a PCR.

The heart of the invention is a small chip with an innovative nanostructured surface on which blood is analyzed. This “metasurface” of the chip enhances electrical and magnetic signals during Raman spectroscopy analysis, allowing heart attack biomarkers to be visible within seconds, even at ultra-low concentrations.

To make the chip, a single layer of polystyrene beads is first placed in a hexagonal pattern on a quartz substrate. Thin alternating layers of gold and silica are deposited on top, filling the spaces between the beads before removing them, leaving stacks of gold and silica metaatoms shaped like nanometer-sized pyramids.

Los investigadores defienden que su herramienta es lo suficientemente sensible como para señalar biomarcadores de un ataque cardíaco que podrían pasar desapercibidos en las pruebas actuales o que no se detectarían hasta mucho más tarde de producirse el ataque.

Los problemas cardíacos no son los únicos que pueden detectarse con esta tecnología, según la JHU, este dispositivo también podría adaptarse para detectar enfermedades tan graves como el cáncer y las enfermedades infecciosas. “Existe un potencial comercial enorme”, afirma Barman. “No hay nada que limite esta tecnología de plataforma”.