Sarasota Memorial Hospital Selected as Study Site for WARFARIN Personalized Medicine Trial
Summary
Sarasota, FL, November 04, 2012 --( The clinical trial is under way in 55 major hospital systems nationwide to determine whether genetic testing can be used to personalize individual patients’ warfarin doses and reduce their risk of serious bleeding or clotting events.The most commonly prescribed blood thinner in the world, Warfarin causes up to 100,000 serious and unnecessary adverse events every year, including thousands of deaths.The medication is difficult to dose as patients respond to it differently based on their genetic makeup – too much warfarin can result in severe bleeding, while too little can cause clot formation and increased risk of stroke.“In the past, warfarin dosing relied on trial-and-error, which exposed patients to serious medical risks,” said Dr. Voelker, a researcher and physician helping Sarasota Memorial build its Institute of Personalized Medicine.The medication is difficult to dose as patients respond to it differently based on their genetic makeup – too much warfarin can result in severe bleeding, while too little can cause clot formation and increased risk of stroke.Studies have shown that DNA testing can potentially improve the safety and effectiveness of warfarin, said Kirk Voelker, M.D., medical director of Sarasota Memorial’s Clinical Research Center and principal investigator of the Sarasota study.