Your Health

Are You At Risk?

Posted 10/15/2010

Up to one in three patients may not be responding appropriately to antiplatelet therapy. A new test allows you to measure the effect of these drugs.

(NAPSI) - There’s news for the millions of Americans currently taking aspirin, Plavix or other antiplatelet therapy designed to prevent blood cells from “sticking together.” This treatment, which is generally prescribed for patients who have had open-heart surgery or a stent placed, affects different people in different ways.

For the approximately 30 percent of patients whose platelets may not respond adequately, studies show that their risk doubles for another heart attack, stroke or other serious cardiovascular incident.

How do you know the degree of protection from your antiplatelet medications? Fortunately, doctors and hospitals now have access to easy-to-administer tests called the VerifyNow Aspirin Test and VerifyNow P2Y12 Test (for Plavix or Effient users).

To find a physician who can offer you the test or for more information, visit www.verifynow.com/requestthetest or call (800) 643-1640.