The death from a heart attack of 28-year-old ice skating champion Sergei Grinkov could help doctors unlock the secrets of his tragic condition.

The Russian had already won two Olympic gold medals with his wife Ekaterina Gordeeva when he collapsed in November 1995 during a practice session.

Sergei had suffered a massive heart attack, and doctors were unable to revive him.

He had none of the traditional risk factors, such as smoking or high blood pressure, which might have predisposed him to suffer from heart disease, yet an autopsy revealed severely hardened arteries.

Culprit gene

However, now doctors are investigating dozens of genes which might play a part in early heart deaths.

And they have a blood sample from the figure skating star to help them do it.

They have already identified a gene called P1A2 in his blood - this is thought to make a part of blood called platelets clump together more easily, making it more likely that fatal clots will form in the narrow arteries around the heart.

The gene is carried by approximately 20% of the population, and as such early deaths are incredibly rare, there must be other factors at work.

The research team, based at Duke University Medical Center, has now taken more than 700 blood samples from patients who are receiving an operation to widen their narrowed arteries.

Dr Pascal Goldshmidt, chief of cardiology, said: "Sergei had none of the risks we associate with heart disease, such as smoking, diabetes, old age, being sedentary, high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol levels.

"There had to be something else going on."

Tailored treatment

The eventual aim is not just to identify those few whose genetic makeup puts them at high risk of early death, but also to help patients who have survived a heart attack avoid another one.

Dr Goldschmidt said: "Ultimately, we want to be able to conduct a genetic test and then be able to rationally determine which drugs that individual should be taking to prevent future attacks."

In order to further investigate the genes which make arteries more likely to harden, the team has also removed unwanted major blood vessels from dozens of transplant patients as they receive their new organ.

These aortas - the principal artery taking blood away from the heart - are one of the places most likely to suffer hardening.

The tissues are being analysed for signs of activity among 83 different genes thought to play some role in this process.

"Once we get a handle on the natural progression of the disease - which genes are turned on or off when - we can better know when and where to intervene," said Dr Goldschmidt.