Atherotech Diagnostics Lab Expands Heart Disease Risk Assessment with AspirinWorks® Test
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Atherotech Diagnostics Lab, a leading clinical reference laboratory specializing in cardiometabolic testing and disease management solutions, recently launched the AspirinWorks® Test to complement its menu of cardiovascular disease risk assessment tests.
More than 1 million Americans experience new or recurrent heart attacks each year. These at-risk individuals are candidates for aspirin therapy and should be tested for the presence or absence of the therapy’s effect. The AspirinWorks Test is used to determine levels of 11-Dehydro Thromboxane B2 (11dhTxB2) in human urine, which aids a physician in the determination of aspirin effect.
“The AspirinWorks Test maximizes the value of our VAP Lipid Panel and accompanying line of cardiometabolic disease diagnostics and management tests,” Atherotech CEO Michael Mullen said. “This offering is strategically aligned with our company’s mission to proactively manage risk and guide therapy to help improve patient outcomes.”
Aspirin therapy works on blood platelets to decrease levels of thromboxane A2 (TxA2), a powerful stimulator of platelet aggregation. Lower thromboxane levels and decreased platelet aggregation means less chance of developing a blood clot, and therefore, less chance of a heart attack or stroke. However, studies have shown that for several reasons, up to 25 percent of individuals do not get the expected beneficial effect of aspirin. The AspirinWorks Test identifies those individuals who have elevated thromboxane levels despite taking a daily aspirin dose.
“The added information from the AspirinWorks Test will help provide a more accurate and complete evaluation of a patient’s cardiovsacular health,” Atherotech Chief Medical Officer Michael Cobble, M.D., said. “Assessment of the chemical marker for platelet aggregation facilitates a strategic, scientifically validated approach to maximizing the value of aspirin therapy and minimizing the risk of heart attack and stroke.”
The AspirinWorks Test has been clinically validated through extensive research and numerous well-designed and well-powered clinical trials. The AspirinWorks Test is FDA cleared and used to test and guide treatment for hundreds of thousands of patients each year worldwide.
