A sensor has been developed that detects a heart attack in minutes

The developers of the system believe that the test can be adapted for self-analysis at home. The study was published in the journal Advanced Science.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University have developed an innovative device capable of diagnosing a heart attack in just a few minutes. The tiny chip detects heart attack biomarkers in the blood much faster than existing methods, which usually require hours to obtain results.

The researchers attribute the effectiveness of the system to the complex metasurface of the chip. It consists of nanoscale pyramidal structures created from alternating layers of gold and silicon. To create a chip, a single layer of polystyrene beads is placed in a hexagonal pattern on a quartz substrate. Thin alternating layers of gold and silicon are applied on top, filling the gaps between the balls. After that, the balls are removed.

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The combination of metal (gold) and dielectric (silicon) strengthens the electric and magnetic fields of the chip, which significantly increases the sensitivity of the analysis. Using Raman spectroscopy, the sensor detects even very low concentrations of heart attack biomarkers, such as creatine kinase and troponin, in a blood sample.

For analysis, a drop of blood is placed on the chip, and after 5-7 minutes the device produces a result. This is much faster than traditional methods, which take an hour or more in the laboratory. Moreover, the new test turned out to be not only faster, but also more accurate than existing methods. It is able to detect biomarkers in the early stages, when their concentration is too low for standard tests.

In the case of a heart attack, time plays a crucial role – the sooner the diagnosis is made, the sooner treatment can be started and damage to the heart muscle can be minimized. Researchers believe that the test will be used not only in hospitals, but also as a portable tool for emergency care or even for home diagnostics.