2011 ACCF/AHA Guidelines Incorporate New Recommendation for Platelet Reactivity Testing

SAN DIEGO, March 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Platelet Function Testing May Be Used to Aid Patient Management

Accumetrics, Inc., developer of the VerifyNow(R) System, the first rapid and easy-to-use point-of-care system for measuring platelet reactivity to multiple antiplatelet agents, announced today that a new recommendation for platelet reactivity testing has been incorporated into the updated 2011 ACCF/AHA Guidelines for the Management of UA/NSTEMI Patients.

The Guidelines, published online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology(1), signify the growing focus and importance of platelet reactivity testing in a variety of patient populations, including UA/NSTEMI and ACS/PCI. The IIb (B) recommendation suggests that an approach of assessing platelet reactivity in combination with other procedural and patient characteristics may be considered to aid in patient management decisions.

"The addition of platelet reactivity testing to the Guidelines captures what we have already implemented at Scripps," said Matthew J. Price, MD, of the Scripps Translational Science Institute and Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, CA. "We believe that when considering alternative approaches for the management of patients that require antiplatelet therapy, an individualized approach that incorporates platelet reactivity testing is warranted in an attempt to minimize further ischemic events."

The Update also provides guidance on the rapidly expanding treatment options for patients requiring antiplatelet medications. "With the availability of newer antiplatelet agents, it has become challenging for a physician to determine how to manage individual patients," stated Kevin Croce, MD, PhD, Interventional Cardiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "By utilizing platelet reactivity testing as recommended in this new Guideline, we feel we have a clearer picture on how to optimally manage our patients at the Brigham in this increasingly complex clinical setting."

The release of these Guidelines further elevates awareness of platelet reactivity testing as an important topic, and sets the stage for additional data and discussions at the 2011 ACC Scientific Sessions. New data from a patient-level meta-analysis will be presented by Dr. Somjot Brar on April 3rd, and Dr. Paul Gurbel and Dr. Matthew Price will discuss "The Application of Available Data in Clinical Practice" during the Accumetrics Industry Expert Theater Program on April 4th.

"The ACCF/AHA UA/NSTEMI Guidelines follow the STS/SCA Blood Conservation Guidelines released earlier this month, reinforcing the clinical importance of point-of-care platelet reactivity testing," said Timothy I. Still, President and CEO of Accumetrics. "With the VerifyNow System, Accumetrics is proud to be the leader in providing this critically important information to aid in the management of patients."

The VerifyNow System is widely used in various clinical settings where antiplatelet medications are prescribed to reduce the occurrence of future thrombotic events such as heart attack and stroke.

About Accumetrics

Accumetrics is committed to advancing medical understanding of platelet function and enhancing quality of care for patients receiving antiplatelet therapies by providing industry-leading and widely accessible diagnostic tests for rapid platelet function assessment.

Accumetrics' VerifyNow System is the first rapid and easy-to-use platform to help physicians determine an individual's response to multiple antiplatelet agents. Addressing every major antiplatelet drug, including FDA-cleared products for aspirin, P2Y12 inhibitors (e.g. prasugrel (Effient(R)) and clopidogrel (Plavix(R))), and GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors (e.g. ReoPro(R) and Integrilin(R)), the VerifyNow System provides valuable information to help physicians make informed treatment decisions. For more information about the Company and its products, visit http://www.accumetrics.com.

The Accumetrics logo and VerifyNow are registered trademarks of Accumetrics, Inc. ReoPro is a registered trademark of Centocor, Inc. Integrilin is a registered trademark of Millennium Pharmaceuticals. Plavix is a registered trademark of sanofi-aventis. Effient is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly and Company.

(1) Wright RS, Anderson JL, Adams CD, et al. 2011 ACCF/AHA Focused Update of the Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Unstable Angina/Non ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (Updating the 2007 Guideline): A Report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. Published online Mar 28, 2011; doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2011.02.009.

    
    CONTACT:
    Jakob Jakobsen
    310-309-1003
    jjakobsen@chandlerchiccocompanies.com

    Timothy I. Still
    President and CEO
    Accumetrics
    858-404-8260
    press@accumetrics.com