The FDA has approved Boehringer Mannheim Corp.'s diagnostic testfor heart attacks, the Cardiac T ELISA Troponin T assay. The companysaid its test identifies a protein released only when heart damageoccurs, and can detect even minor heart attacks.The protein, cardiac troponin T, is not normally found in the blood,said Eric Beier, the company's product line manager for cardiovasculardiagnostics. Unlike other tests, which are non-specific and couldindicate either muscle damage or heart damage, the presence of cardiactroponin T conclusively indicates that myocardial damage hasoccurred.The test is based on a sample of the patient's blood serum. Cardiactroponin T is released into the blood as early as one hour aftermyocardial damage has occurred, and remains elevated for 14 days ormore. The company says the specificity of the test enables heartdamage to be detected even in conditions such as unstable angina.Beier said the test requires the use of Boehringer's ES 300immunoassay system, and is most appropriate for larger hospitals with200 beds or more. He said it might prove cheaper thanelectrocardiograms in some hospitals, depending on the number of testsrun.The test is already being marketed in 19 countries, and has beenavailable in some for two years. Beier said he expects it to be availablein the U.S. within two weeks. Boehringer Mannheim Corp., based inIndianapolis, is a subsidiary of Boehringer Mannheim GmbH ofMannheim, Germany. _ Philippa Maister

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