Cardiovascular Institute researcher develops first blood test to predict risk of sudden cardiac death.

PROVIDENCE – A researcher at the Cardiovascular Institute (CVI) at Rhode Island, The Miriam and Newport hospitals has found that a simple blood test can predict a person’s risk for sudden cardiac death, enabling physicians to more quickly and accurately assess a patient’s need for an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD). That paper by SAMUEL C. DUDLEY, MD, PhD, chief of cardiology at the CVI, is published online in advance of print in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. “This is the first test of its kind; never before have clinicians been able to accurately assess a patient’s risk of sudden cardiac death by performing a blood test,” Dr. Dudley said. “The primary prevention model for at-risk patients in the U.S. is to implant an ICD before a cardiac event happens. While it’s better to be safe, this has led to widespread overuse of ICDs throughout the U.S. and abroad.” Dr. Dudley continued, “With this blood test, we can refine the need for such a device, and instead implant the cardiac defibrillators only in the most severe cases of sudden cardiac death risk.” The new blood test is in a pilot phase in a large, multisite trial led by Dr. Dudley and other researchers at Lifespan’s CVI anticipated to start this fall. v