Antiplatelet Therapy

Quick Question: Measuring ASA Response Results

Our November, 2018 Quick Question asked, “How do you measure aspirin response?” The question attracted a gratifying 71 answers to a relatively esoteric question. Here are the responses: a. Siemens PFA-100: 19 (27%) b. Werfen Accriva VerifyNow Aspirin 19 (27%) c. Light transmittance aggregometry 6 (8%) d. Whole blood impedance aggregometry 8 (11%) e. AspirinWorks […]

Antiplatelet Therapy

REDUCE-IT Trial Results

Today, Saturday, November 10, 2018, Dr. Deepak Bhatt, principal investigator of the Evaluation of the Effect of AMR101 on Cardiovascular Health and Mortality in Hypertriglyceridemic Patients With Cardiovascular Disease or at High Risk for Cardiovascular Disease: REDUCE-IT (Reduction of Cardiovascular Events With EPA – Intervention Trial) reported on encouraging results of the use of high-dose […]

Antiplatelet Therapy

VITAL Trial Results

Click or tap here to learn the results of the VITAL trial conducted by Joann Manson, MD DPH, Beth Israel. The trial looked at the primary endpoints of major cardiovascular disease events and invasive cancer in subjects taking marine omega-3 fatty acids (Omacor® fish oil, (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]], 1 g daily, […]

Antiplatelet Therapy

Aspirin for TKR?

Thanks to Dave McGlasson for sending Aspirin, Anticoagulants Similarly Prevent VTE After TKA from MPR Publications. I’ve lately been hearing anecdotes of patients being prescribed aspirin after total hip or knee replacement, and I know of one person, a hemostasis expert, who was prescribed no antithrombotic therapy subsequent to TKRs on both knees with no […]

Antiplatelet Therapy

More on Weight-based Aspirin Dosing

Thanks to my friend and colleague Gordon Ens, Inflammatory Markers Laboratory, for the heads-up on this August 31, 2018 Cleveland HeartLab article, Aspirin for the Heart, One Dose Doesn’t Fit All (click or tap) This is in follow-up to our August 13 post, Weight-based Aspirin Dosing, featuring Santosh Kadel at the University of Texas Medical […]

Antiplatelet Therapy

Brillinta and Shortness of Breath

I (Geo) just had a chat with a friend who recently had a stent installed and is now on a regular regimen of aspirin, 81 mg/day, and Brillinta, 90 mg/twice a day. He reports no minor bleeds, but he does have shortness of breath episodes. Shortness of breath is recorded as a possible side effect […]

Antiplatelet Therapy

Weight-based Aspirin Dosing

I (Geo) had the pleasure of meeting Santosh Kadel, MS MLS at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston on Thursday, August 9, 2018 while participating in the UTMB Department of Clinical Laboratory Science “Brown Bag” seminar series. Mr. Kadel is a student in UTMB School of Health Professions’ Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science […]

Antiplatelet Therapy

More on Reversing Plavix with Platelet Concentrate

Here are some follow-up comments to Dr. Larry Brace’s August 11, 2016 post about monitoring Plavix reversal with platelet concentrate. From Robert Gosselin, SSCLS, UC Davis: The thromboelastograph is not sensitive to platelet dysfunction. We could consider using their Platelet Mapping (PLTMAP) method, but there is no reference or therapeutic range provided, and the only […]

Antiplatelet Therapy

CoQ10 and Xarelto

Susequent to our 7/21/16 discussion of Pradaxa’s effect on antiphospholipid antibody testing, Dr. J. S. also asked, “I read where one should not take Co Q-10 if they are on Coumadin (wonder why?). Does the same warning apply to Pradaxa or Xarelto? Thank you for this follow-up question. CoQ10 has antiplatelet properties, as documented in Mortensen […]

Antiplatelet Therapy

Aspirin Alone for AFIB

A June 24 Heartwire article in Medscape reports on the National Cardiovascular Disease Registry (NCDR) Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence (PINNACLE) study. The study shows that 40% of participants with a CHA2DS2-VASc score of 2 or higher were treated with aspirin alone. Click here to read the article.

Antiplatelet Therapy

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George Fritsma is a medical laboratory scientist, educator, and author. George is a member of the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis, the International Society for Laboratory Hematology, and the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science.

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