Scientists Study Genes to Improve Warfarin Treatment
Posted Feb 21 2009 9:35pm
Scientists at the University of Liverpool have found that information about a patient¿s genes could help increase the effectiveness of drugs such as warfarin.
A team of international researchers, which included scientists from Liverpool and Newcastle University, developed a mathematical formula to understand how genetic information about a patient could help clinicians better predict the appropriate dosage of warfarin – one of the world’s most widely prescribed drugs.
Warfarin is used to prevent blood clots that lead to heart attacks, strokes and in extreme cases, death. The drug is prescribed to one per cent of patients in the UK, but clinicians have found that the appropriate dose of the drug is difficult to predict because individual patients react differently to it.
Scientists at the University of Liverpool have found that information about a patient¿s genes could help increase the effectiveness of drugs such as warfarin.
A team of international researchers, which included scientists from Liverpool and Newcastle University, developed a mathematical formula to understand how genetic information about a patient could help clinicians better predict the appropriate dosage of warfarin – one of the world’s most widely prescribed drugs.
Warfarin is used to prevent blood clots that lead to heart attacks, strokes and in extreme cases, death. The drug is prescribed to one per cent of patients in the UK, but clinicians have found that the appropriate dose of the drug is difficult to predict because individual patients react differently to it.
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