A novel testing service to rapidly identify stroke patients not responding to Clopidogrel antithrombotic therapy, and switch them to alternative effective medication. (Platelet Solutions-RPFT).

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PLATELET SOLUTIONS LTD (PS Ltd.) is a micro-SME founded on extensive research andexperience in Cardiovascular Medicine at Nottingham University. A stroke occurs whenblood flow in the brain is interrupted; either due to blood clots, ischaemic stroke (IS), or anartery bursts (haemorrhagic stroke). One occurs every 3 mins 27 s in the UK striking peopleof all ages - each year in the UK there are 90.1k ISs, and 46k transient ischaemic attacks(TIAs or mini-strokes, where symptoms resolve in 24 hrs). In 2009 the total annual costs ofstroke care were estimated at £9b - 5% of total UK NHS costs - direct care of £4.5b, informalcare £2.4b, and indirect costs of £2.1b. Within 5 years of the first stroke there is a ca. 25% riskof recurrence of a more debilitating event. To reduce the risk of another stroke all patientsafter IS and TIA receive antiplatelet treatment with clopidogrel for life. However, not allpatients respond to the drug therapy and no testing is performed to identify them placing thissub-group at higher risk of another stroke. We have developed a commercially and technologyinnovative testing service to identify patients who are not benefiting from clopidogrel drugtherapy and for whom widely available alternative therapy (aspirin with dipyridamole) wouldbe beneficial. We project that full uptake of the service could save the NHS up to £38.5m p.a.in direct medical costs, and the UK economy £79.1m p.a. in informal care and productivityloses. Success of the project will transform Platelet Solutions Ltd. to a SME.