Donor Blood Test May be Holding Back Heart Transplantation

A blood test used to determine whether a heart is suitable for donation may be leading to unnecessary rejections, and its use should be reviewed. This is the conclusion of a new study published in the journal Circulation: Heart Failure.

Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough oxygen-rich blood around the body to help other organs function.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the United States, around 5.7 million Americans have heart failure.

In some cases, heart failure can be treated with lifestyle changes - such as a healthy diet, exercise, and quitting smoking - and medications. For end-stage heart failure, however, a heart transplant may be the only option.

Read more: Donor Blood Test May be Holding Back Heart Transplantation

Determining whether a heart is suitable for transplantation based on donor troponin I levels may be
causing unnecessary rejections, say researchers.

Source: medicalnewstoday