How Can Urine Tests Detect Heart Failure?

News Desk

Islamabad: A unique study has shown that a simple urine test can potentially detect heart failure early.

Usually, some symptoms of heart failure start appearing before time but most people do not understand such symptoms. Experts believe that the heart usually fails when a person’s kidneys fail or fail to function properly.

To check for kidney complications and problems early, specialists also usually do blood and urine tests to detect the disease or problem.

European experts conducted a unique study to explore the relationship between heart and kidney failure, the results of which surprised everyone.

According to the research published in the medical journal ‘European Journal of Heart Failure’, experts made around 7000 people from the Netherlands a part of the research.

The subjects in the study ranged in age from 28 to 76 years and included both men and women, some of whom also had heart and kidney problems.

The experts also questioned the volunteers after taking urine and blood tests and then re-examined them 11 years later, tested them a second time, and checked for diseases.

The results showed that participants with stable and high levels of two specific proteins called ‘urinary albumin excretion’ (UAE) and ‘serum creatinine’ in their urine samples had a higher risk of experiencing heart failure for the first time while also developing kidney problems, while those with elevated levels of UAE had an increased risk of dying from all causes.

Similarly, high levels of serum creatinine were not found to be linked to all-cause mortality.

Some experts also believe that the two mentioned proteins can be high due to various reasons, including the use of high-protein foods and drugs.

However, the study could not establish that kidney dysfunction was the cause of heart failure or that both are not the products of comorbidities. The study presents a potentially valuable diagnostic biomarker of heart failure.