Blood test predicts risk of inherited heart condition hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
A Harvard and Oxford-led study has found that measuring NT-Pro-BNP levels in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) can help predict the risk of complications. The research involved 700 patients with HCM and showed that higher NT-Pro-BNP levels were associated with poorer blood flow, more scar tissue, and heart changes that can lead to atrial fibrillation or heart failure.
HCM is the world’s most common inherited heart condition, caused by genetic changes and often running in families, and currently has no cure. The study suggests that a blood test for NT-Pro-BNP could identify high-risk patients, allowing for closer monitoring and potentially life-saving treatments. These blood biomarkers may also illuminate how HCM affects heart structure and function and could guide the development of new treatments to reduce risk.
Professor Carolyn Ho, the lead study author and medical director of the cardiovascular genetics centre at Harvard Medical School, emphasized the potential benefits of this approach. The research was funded by the British Heart Foundation, with Professor Bryan Williams noting that the findings could benefit patients worldwide by enabling targeted therapy that distinguishes between high and low risk.
The personal impact of this discovery is illustrated by Lara Johnson, a 34-year-old from Southampton diagnosed with HCM in 2017, who could benefit from reduced uncertainty and better guidance on lifestyle adjustments.
