A Simple Blood Test Could Predict Risk in Common Inherited Heart Disease

Scientists from leading institutions like Harvard and Oxford have developed a promising blood test that could predict which patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the world’s most common inherited heart condition, are at the highest risk of life-threatening complications.

The test measures levels of a protein called NT-proBNP, which is released by the heart when it is under strain; high levels indicate the heart is working too hard.

In a landmark study of 700 HCM patients, researchers found that those with the highest protein levels had poorer blood flow, more heart scar tissue, and changes that could lead to heart failure or abnormal rhythms.

This breakthrough could transform patient care by enabling doctors to closely monitor high-risk individuals and target life-saving treatments more effectively, while sparing low-risk patients from unnecessary interventions, offering millions of people living with the uncertainty of HCM much-needed clarity and a proactive management strategy.