Personalized Warfarin Dosing for Safer Blood Thinning
Pharmacogenetic Refinement of the Warfarin Dose Using Machine Learning
This work aims to make warfarin, a common blood thinner, safer and more effective for patients by using smart computer programs to help doctors find the right dose.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11132834 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Warfarin helps prevent dangerous blood clots in your arteries and veins, but it can also increase the risk of serious bleeding. This project builds on previous success with a web tool that helps doctors determine the initial warfarin dose. We are now developing new computer programs to guide warfarin dosing during the critical period of 6-28 days after starting the medication, when the risk of overdose is highest. Our goal is to provide doctors with better guidance directly through electronic health records, making your treatment safer and more precise.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients who are starting warfarin therapy for blood clot prevention, particularly older Americans, are the focus of this work.
Not a fit: Patients not taking warfarin or other anticoagulant medications would not directly benefit from this specific dosing improvement.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could significantly reduce the risk of bleeding complications for patients taking warfarin by helping doctors prescribe more accurate doses.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work by this team has already led to a widely used web application for initial warfarin dosing, providing a strong foundation for this next step.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gage, Brian F — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Gage, Brian F
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.