Method of detection of cardiac ischemia using fatty acid binding protein

A method of detecting stable or unstable angina in a mammal, comprising the steps of:

• providing a serum or plasma sample obtained from said mammal;
• mixing said mammalian serum or plasma sample with an aqueous solution and with a reagent comprising a fatty acid binding protein labeled with a fluorescent moiety, wherein said reagent exhibits a first fluorescence in an aqueous solution and a measurably different second fluorescence in an aqueous solution when said fatty acid binding protein is bound to a fatty acid;
• measuring said second fluorescence after said mammalian serum or plasma sample is mixed with said aqueous solution and said reagent to determine a concentration of unbound free fatty acid in said serum or plasma sample;
• comparing said concentration of said unbound free fatty acid in said mammalian serum or plasma sample to a concentration of unbound free fatty acid in serum or plasma of a control population that does not have stable or unstable angina;
• and
• determining whether said concentration of said unbound free fatty acid in said mammalian serum or plasma sample is indicative of stable or unstable angina.