Scientists in Australia are developing a small device which can alert patients if they're at an increased risk of a stroke or heart attack, by detecting small physical changes in blood from a pin-prick test.

The aim is to pre-warn patients to avoid what the World Health Organization says are the leading causes of death globally.

This small device could transform the lives of people at risk of heart attacks and strokes in Australia and around the world, according to the Australian scientists who developed it.

One person who could benefit from the technology is 78 year old Michael Adams. Seven years ago, Adams was sitting at his home in Sydney watching television when he suffered a stroke. Adams endured another stroke in intensive care a few days later which left him with some physical and mental disabilities. He now wears a pacemaker and is on medication.

Adams was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation which means his heart rhythm is very irregular and can cause blood clots in his heart.

Researchers at the University's Biomedical Engineering laboratory say although heart attacks appear to be unpredictable and random, there are often warning signs. According to the scientists here it's possible to identify tiny changes in the blood that begin to take place long before a stroke or heart attack occurs.

They can detect whether the blood flow is disturbed, leading to blood clotting and inflammation which can block blood vessels.