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Blood thinner patients get at-home test
People on Coumadin may need fewer doctor's visits
March 13, 1997
Web posted at: 11:10 p.m. EST(CNN) -- Some patients who take a commonly prescribed blood thinner may be able to skip frequent doctor visits, thanks to a new system that lets them monitor their dosage at home.
About 1.8 million Americans take the drug Coumadin for medical conditions such as heart attacks. On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration approved a testing system called ProTime that will let Coumadin patients check their blood at home to insure that they are taking the proper dosage.
Too much Coumadin can cause nosebleeds and more serious complications; too little may result in a blood clot. Until now, patients had to be closely monitored, because the drug interacts with some foods, alcohol and over-the-counter drugs. That meant frequent visits to the doctor.
But one Coumadin expert, Dr. Raymond Woosley of Georgetown University, said although doctors have long wanted an at-home testing device, the cost of the ProTime system -- $2,000 -- may "markedly limit the value of it."
International Technidyne Corp., which makes ProTime, estimates that about 30 percent of patients on Coumadin are at high enough risk for complications to benefit from home testing. The company is negotiating with Medicare and insurance companies to pay for the device.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Related sites:
- Coumadin - The Learning Center
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
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