Customized Coumadin Via Genetic Testing

Orthopedics This Week—September 29, 2017

Orthopedics This Week reported on a recent study that stated that genetic testing can help determine the safest dose of warfarin, a blood thinner, for patients undergoing joint replacement surgery. HSS rheumatologist Anne R. Bass, MD co-authored the study and explained that this is the first study to show that adjusting the dose based on genetic variants can make warfarin safer for patients.

Dr. Bass told OTW that "adjusting the warfarin dose without genetic variants and without a computer dosing algorithm can be tricky because different people respond to the warfarin differently, some are very sensitive and somewhat resistant. By using a dosing algorithm that can incorporate genetic variants dosing is made much less tricky."

Read the full article at ryortho.com [subscription required].