NEW HIGH-TECH HANDHELD DEVICE FROM PHILIPS CAN PROVIDE BLOOD TEST RESULTS ON THE SPOT

The prototype handheld Troponin (cTn-I) blood test has demonstrated the potential to produce lab-quality results with finger prick samples in under 10 minutes. The Minicare cardiac cTn-I device was designed to help healthcare professionals identify patients at high risk for acute cardiac events point-of-care. The first promising field studies showed the efficacy of the device, and Philips plans to schedule the Minicare cTn-I system’s first clinical trial in 2015.

The field study was carried out in the Catharina Hospital, a leading cardiology center in the Netherlands. The Minicare blood test device performed on par with the standard lab cTn-I blood test.  This study shows that in the future, accurate results can be acquired with minutes without leaving the patient’s bedside.

It is estimated that about 15 percent of patients admitted to emergency rooms with chest pain suffer from myocardial infarction (heart attack). The standard lab work for cTn-I can take up to 90 minutes, which can inhibit a doctor’s decision-making. Using the new Minicare cTn-I system, healthcare professionals can diagnose and treat acute cardiac events earlier and improve patient prognosis with a prick of a finger. At the same time, the test can be used as an exclusion criterion for discharging patients that do not require emergency care.

The key to improving healthcare of the leading causes of death worldwide is introducing innovative methods for their early diagnosis and treatment. This is what Philips is aiming to do.