Overview
- Researchers reviewed 59,980 adult chest‑pain admissions across six New Zealand hospitals using either usual lab testing or point‑of‑care assays.
- Patients assessed with the bedside test were discharged or admitted for heart attack care an average of 47 minutes sooner than those under usual care.
- The rapid assays analyze a small blood sample on a cartridge at the bedside, delivering results in minutes compared with lab turnaround times that can reach two hours.
- A 30‑day follow‑up found no differences in outcomes between the rapid‑test group and those who received standard laboratory testing.
- The study, led by Christchurch Hospital with University of Edinburgh researchers and presented in New Orleans, drew praise from the British Heart Foundation for potential benefits to busy emergency departments.