一種新型血液檢測方法用于快速方便地檢測Plavix (clopidogrel)對血小板的影響，血小板主要在血液凝結(jié)中發(fā)揮作用。

在美國大約有1千萬人服用Plavix來預(yù)防心臟病和腦卒中發(fā)作。Plavix主要是通過抑制血小板功能來發(fā)揮對心血管的作用。但是，新的研究結(jié)果顯示有5-30%的患者對藥物的反應(yīng)不充分。沒有藥物反應(yīng)的患者罹患嚴(yán)重心血管事件和冠狀動脈阻塞的危險更大。VerifyNow P2Y12檢測方法能夠在不到15分鐘的時間內(nèi)發(fā)現(xiàn)藥物無反應(yīng)者，而且能夠幫助確定某些患者是否能夠安全的接受手術(shù)治療。

美國西北大學(xué)Feinberg醫(yī)學(xué)院(Chicago, IL, USA)神經(jīng)科教授Mark Alberts醫(yī)生說：“Plavix能夠有效地防止腦卒中和心臟病的發(fā)作，但是在特定比例的患者中，Plavix稀釋血液的作用并沒有達(dá)到最佳狀態(tài)。VerifyNow檢測方法為醫(yī)生提供了一項重要工具，從而有效鑒別出這些患者并計劃恰當(dāng)?shù)闹委煼桨浮！?

醫(yī)學(xué)指南大綱建議這些患者在接受手術(shù)之前5天停止服用Plavix，以確保凝血功能恢復(fù)至正常以減少術(shù)中和術(shù)后大量出血的危險。這就意味著手術(shù)經(jīng)常被延期。VerifyNow檢測方法是Accumetrics (San Diego, CA, USA)公司研制開發(fā)的，該公司同時制造并向市場推廣這種檢測方法。該公司指出VerifyNow是唯一快速檢測血小板功能的方法，與臨床預(yù)后轉(zhuǎn)歸密切相關(guān)。

Blood Test for Plavix Users
 
A new blood test is designed to quickly and easily measure the effects of Plavix (clopidogrel) on platelets, which are primarily responsible for clotting.

Almost 10 million people in the United States alone take Plavix to help prevent a heart attack or stroke. Inhibiting the function of platelets is how Plavix exerts its cardiovascular effects. However, new research shows that five-30% of patients do not respond adequately to the drug. People who are unresponsive are at much greater risk for a serious cardiovascular event as well as blockage of coronary stents. The VerifyNow P2Y12 test in less than 15 minutes can not only indicate nonresponders but also help determine if it is safe for some patients to undergo surgery.

“Plavix is a very effective medication for preventing strokes and heart attacks,” noted Mark Alberts, M.D., professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (Chicago, IL, USA). “However, in a certain percentage of patients, the blood thinning effects of Plavix may not be optimal. The VerifyNow test provides physicians with an important tool to help identify these patients and plan appropriate therapy.”

Medical guidelines recommend that patients stop taking Plavix five days prior to surgery in order to enable clotting function to return to normal and to reduce the risk of excessive bleeding during or after the operation. This means that surgery must often be delayed. The VerifyNow test was developed by Accumetrics (San Diego, CA, USA), which also manufactures and markets the test. The company notes that VerifyNow is the only rapid platelet function test shown to correlate with clinical outcomes.