New lab test determines if aspirin is effective for heart attack, stroke prevention

DENVER Corgenix Medical on Tuesday introduced a laboratory test in the Wichita, Kan., area that determines if the aspirin being taken to prevent a heart attack or stroke is effective.

The AspirinWorks Test is available to doctors across Kansas through AMS Laboratory. Edwin Harned, AMS Laboratory president and CEO, said he's excited to field a test that gives physicians a tool to identify patients who are not benefiting from their aspirin therapy.

"Any time we have the chance to offer a test that gives the physician and patient good information about the validity of a drug that they are taking, we think it's a great test," Harned said.

The AspirinWorks Test determines the effect of aspirin on platelets by measuring the level of the biomarker called thromboxane B2. The higher the levels of thromboxane B2, the stickier the blood platelets, and the less impact the aspirin is having. This information allows physicians to individualize a patient's therapy, which may be as simple as adjusting the dose.

"Not everyone responds the same to the same dose of aspirin," noted Gordon Ens, clinical affairs director for Corgenix Medical. "So we came up with a simple, non-invasive test to measure aspirin effect in individuals taking aspirin to reduce the risk of a heart attack and stroke."

AspirinWorks is the only FDA-cleared test that measures urinary thromboxane B2 to accurately determine aspirin effect in apparently healthy individuals. Unlike other platelet tests, which require freshly drawn blood that must be evaluated within four hours, the AspirinWorks Test only requires a urine sample that can be obtained at the doctor's office or AMS Laboratory patient service centers.

The AspirinWorks Test is reimbursed by most insurance carriers, and covered under Medicare and Medicaid, the company stated.