Test Shows If Common Heart Drug Is Working

Tuesday, March 1, 2005

FEALTH DU eh New Test Shows If Common Heart Drug Is Working (NAPSA)—The blood-thinning drug Plavix is taken by almost 10 million Americans to help prevent heart attack and stroke. Doctors know the benefit of this medicine but new research showsthat up to 30 percent of patients who take the drug do not have a strong enough response, putting them at greater risk for a major cardiovascular event. This means that many people may not be getting the protection they need. Did You Know? + 10 million people take —Plavix to prevent a heart > attack or stroke + Up to 30% aren't getting the protection they need = ~ + Anew bloodtest can determineif the drug is workingfor you A simple test cantell if your heart medicine is working. Now there’s a way to know for sure. The Food and Drug Administration has just cleared a new test that can determine if Plavix is working. It’s called VerifyNow and it involves only a simple blood test. The test is inexpensive and covered by Medicare as well as by most insurance. There is also a VerifyNow test for people who take aspirin. To find out if drug treatment is really working to prevent a serious attack, patients should talk to their doctor about being tested. For more information about checking the effects of blood-thinning drugs, visit www.verifynow.com.

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