Heart disease protein could be tested for

A simple blood test is being developed to highlight smokers at higher risk of heart disease and similar medical issues.

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found that a blood test could quantify a smoker's lung toxicity by measuring the levels of a lung protein found in the blood, reported Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, a publication of the American Heart Association.

A build up of this protein could indicate a higher risk of plaque in blood vessels, a common cause of heart disease.

"We now are close to having a blood test to help measure the smoking-related effects that contribute to atherosclerotic heart disease," Dr Anand Rohatgi, assistant professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern and co-lead author.

"Smoking is one of the biggest contributors to the development of heart disease."

Scientists found the protein in 3,200 participants aged 30 to 65 of a Dallas Heart Study of some 6,100 Dallas County residents.