Saudi Heart Association Position Statement on Troponin use for Cardiovascular Risk Screening in Asymptomatic
Waleed AlHabeeb1, Abdulhalim J Kinsara2,3,4, Fahad Alnouri5
1Department of Cardiac Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Insights
High-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) testing can improve cardiovascular disease risk prediction in Saudi Arabia. This biomarker enhances early detection and prevention strategies for seemingly healthy individuals.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Biomarker Research
- Preventive Medicine
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading global cause of death.
- Saudi Arabia faces a disproportionately high burden of CVD.
- Existing risk prediction tools have limitations, failing to identify all at-risk individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence on high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) for cardiovascular risk assessment in Saudi Arabia.
- To develop consensus recommendations for integrating hs-cTn into clinical practice.
- To improve CVD screening and prevention strategies for the Saudi population.
Main Methods:
- A panel of Saudi experts convened to review scientific literature.
- Evidence on hs-cTn use in seemingly healthy individuals was assessed.
- Recommendations were tailored to the Saudi context, considering local factors.
Main Results:
- High-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) assays can detect myocardial injury biomarkers in healthy individuals.
- hs-cTn is a reliable predictor of future cardiovascular events.
- Incorporating hs-cTn can significantly enhance the accuracy of cardiovascular risk stratification.
Conclusions:
- Measuring hs-cTn offers additional benefits over current cardiovascular risk assessment methods.
- This approach can guide the integration of hs-cTn into risk assessment and prevention strategies.
- The recommendations aim to improve cardiovascular health outcomes in Saudi Arabia.
Background:
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death and disability globally. In Saudi Arabia, the burden of CVD is exceptionally high, with age-standardized mortality and prevalence rates that far exceed global averages. The current CVD risk prediction tools have several limitations, and those classified as low to intermediate risk still experience cardiovascular events, underscoring the urgent need to address CVD through effective screening and prevention strategies.
Methods:
A panel of Saudi experts reviewed evidence on the use of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) to enhance cardiovascular risk assessment among seemingly healthy individuals. Consensus recommendations tailored to the Saudi context were formulated based on the literature and local clinical practice, taking into consideration the characteristics of the Saudi population, local healthcare system, available resources and medical expertise.
Results And Conclusion:
Cardiac troponins are biomarkers of myocardial injury that can be detected in most seemingly healthy individuals using high-sensitivity assays. Studies have shown that measuring hs-cTn is a reliable predictor of future cardiovascular events in the general population. Consequently, incorporating hs-cTn into cardiovascular risk assessments could significantly improve the accuracy and effectiveness of existing risk stratification models. The experts highlighted the additional benefits of this approach compared to current risk assessment methods. This document aims to guide the integration of hs-cTn into cardiovascular risk assessment and prevention strategies for seemingly healthy individuals.
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