BOSTON, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- U.S. medical scientists have identified a potential new biomarker for heart failure that might be more powerful than established identification methods.

The international research team -- led by Dr. James Januzzi Jr. of the Massachusetts General Hospital’s cardiology division -- determined blood levels of a protein called ST2 both indicate the presence of heart failure among patients with shortness of breath, as well as powerfully predicting the risk a patient will die during the following year.

"While we are now able to diagnose heart failure with great sensitivity using natriuretic peptide tests, we have miles to go before we can reduce the considerable risk that accompanies that diagnosis," Januzzi said. "It’s highly likely that examining a patient’s pattern of several complementary biomarkers will be superior for predicting risk than using just one.

"If we could harness the information these biomarkers yield to better adjust therapies -- in the same way that antibiotics are chosen based on the organism causing the infection -- that would be revolutionary."

The research is to appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and is now available online.