New Blood Test May Predict Heart Attack and Stroke Risk - Video

A simple scoring system could improve how doctors prevent heart attacks and strokes by identifying patients most likely to benefit from preventive medications, according to a new study published in circulation research.

The test, called the TRIPLE Score, measures specific proteins on blood platelets along with the patient's age to help doctors make more informed decisions about prescribing blood-thinning medications such as aspirin and clopidogrel.

The test requires only a small blood sample and could be developed into a straightforward tool that any healthcare provider could use, not just specialists. The study team found that their new scoring system successfully identified patients whose blood was more likely to form clots in laboratory tests. The results also aligned with existing risk scores that doctors use to predict a patient's likelihood of having a heart attack in the next 10 years.

The test, which is not yet widely available, is being developed so that it can eventually be used at the point-of-care. This will then be implemented in patient studies to verify that the test can improve their care.

Dr Alexander Bye, lead author of the research at the University of Reading, said: "Around 100,000 heart attacks occur each year in the UK, despite significant progress in preventing them. We must think of smarter ways to use drugs like aspirin if we are going to bring this number down. Our new test will help doctors make sure that patients receive the best treatment and keep their quality of life. Next, we aim to make the test even easier to use by developing a finger prick test, so that it as simple as measuring blood glucose."

Reference: Bye, A. P., Kriek, N., Kempster, C., Dunster, J. L., Mitchell, J. L., Sage, T., ... & Gibbins, J. M. (2025). TRIPLE score: GPVI and CD36 expression predict a prothrombotic platelet function phenotype. Circulation Research.