Researchers at the DZHK partner sites Hamburg / Kiel / Lübeck and RheinMain have identified a set of microRNAs that can potentially facilitate the diagnosis of unstable angina pectoris in patients with chest pain. In clinical practice, pain resulting from a narrowing of the coronary arteries is difficult to distinguish from other chest pain. A biomarker for unstable angina pectoris could help protect patients from an impending heart attack by quickly carrying out the right treatment such as the dilatation of the narrowed vessel. Patients with chest pain of other causes would be spared the procedure. The researchers now want to test the suitability of the microRNA sets in a larger group of patients in a real clinical environment.