Large scale clinical trial seeks an option for warfarin

DANVILLE, PA  - The Geisinger Center for Clinical Studies has launched its first large-scale clinical trial, ROCKET-AF, to compare a new investigational oral blood thinner with warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation and at high risk for stroke. 

Interventional cardiologist and Director of the Center for Clinical Studies, Dr. Peter Berger, says the drug being studied, a factor Xa inhibitor, could provide patients with atrial fibrillation who are--or should be--taking warfarin with a much more user-friendly treatment. The investigational blood thinner does not require monitoring.
“By far the most serious complication of atrial fibrillation is an increased risk of blood clots, leading to a stroke,” notes Dr. Berger. “That’s why doctors often prescribe a blood thinner to patients with atrial fibrillation.”

Working with pharmacists at Geisinger’s anticoagulation clinics, researchers are enrolling patients at GMC-Dickey Clinic, as well as the following Geisinger Medical Groups: Kistler, Lake Scranton, Scenery Park, Lewistown, and Moshannon Valley. This trial is the first to bring permanent research staff to the CPSL sites, giving CPSL patients easy access to research.  Geisinger researchers hope to enroll 250 patients. For more information, contact Dr. Berger’s office at 570-214-5057.