SAN DIEGO, March 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Accumetrics, Inc.,
developer of the VerifyNow® System, the first rapid and
easy-to-use point-of-care system for measuring platelet reactivity
to multiple antiplatelet agents, announced today that a new
recommendation for platelet reactivity testing has been
incorporated into the updated 2011 ACCF/AHA Guidelines for the
Management of UA/NSTEMI Patients.
The Guidelines, published online in the Journal of the
American College of Cardiology(1), signify the growing
focus and importance of platelet reactivity testing in a variety of
patient populations, including UA/NSTEMI and ACS/PCI. The IIb (B)
recommendation suggests that an approach of assessing platelet
reactivity in combination with other procedural and patient
characteristics may be considered to aid in patient management
decisions.
“The addition of platelet reactivity testing to the Guidelines
captures what we have already implemented at Scripps,” said Matthew
J. Price, MD, of the Scripps Translational Science Institute and
Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, CA. “We believe that when considering
alternative approaches for the management of patients that require
antiplatelet therapy, an individualized approach that incorporates
platelet reactivity testing is warranted in an attempt to minimize
further ischemic events.”
The Update also provides guidance on the rapidly expanding
treatment options for patients requiring antiplatelet medications.
“With the availability of newer antiplatelet agents, it has become
challenging for a physician to determine how to manage individual
patients,” stated Kevin Croce, MD, PhD, Interventional Cardiologist
at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “By utilizing platelet reactivity
testing as recommended in this new Guideline, we feel we have a
clearer picture on how to optimally manage our patients at the
Brigham in this increasingly complex clinical setting.”
The release of these Guidelines further el
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