Worldwide Growth Seen in Cardiac IVDs

With the global incidence of cardiovascular disease remaining the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, finding the subtle indicators of a looming event through in vitro diagnostics (IVDs) has become a $2.7 billion business.

The growth in IVD cardiac marker tests is expected to derive from new markers, such as ultra-sensitive C-reactive protein (CRP), plasminogen activator inhibitors, s100 protein, p-selectin, soluble fibrin, glycogen phosphorylase-BB, and thrombus precursor protein. Tests such as these that find markers for inflammation and homocysteine, relatively rare just a few years ago, are now considered part of the standard cardiac marker segment. Other technologies that are currently available and those that are expected to take their place in the near future include, among others, point of care (POC) testing in the home, coagulation factors, pharmacodynamic testing, in-vivo, and imaging test modalities.

"The technological advances taking place in this market are nothing short of phenomenal,” said Shara Rosen, an analyst at Kalorama Information (New York, NY, USA). "Yet as is often the case, the technology is far ahead of both healthcare regulations and reimbursement plans. The onus is therefore on the manufacturers to prove that these tests are not only effective, but also supply a cost-effective treatment alternative that is not already an accepted part of current regulations and plans.”

Cardiac markers are substances released from heart muscle when it is damaged as a result of myocardial infarction (MI). Depending on the marker, it can take from two to 24 hours for the level to increase in the blood.



Related Links:
Kalorama Information