Two scientists from Academia Sinica have contributed to delivering an easy formula that helps ensure patients take the appropriate dose of the anticoagulant Warfarin.
The drug is often prescribed for patients suffering from thrombosis, the main cause of cardiovascular diseases. However, many doctors find it difficult to determine the proper amount and can only administer the drug based on experience.
Patients who take too much Warfarin may suffer from massive bleeding, whereas an inadequate amount may fail to prevent cardiovascular disease.
Research fellow Chen Yuan-tsong (陳垣崇), assistant research scientist Lee Ming-da (李明達) and Wen Ming-shien (溫明賢) of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital joined a research team from nine countries around the world to help produce a formula that will enable doctors to more accurately prescribe the appropriate amount for their patients.
The research results were published yesterday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The team was listed first among all the research teams. Lee said all the collected samples were delivered to Academic Sinica for examination and analysis because the institute is more advanced in studies of VKORC1 and CYPC2C, which have been identified as two crucial genes in helping determine the correct dosage of Warfarin.
The formula has now been adopted by doctors in Chang Gung Hospital, National Taiwan University Hospital and other medical centers. Starting next year, the general public can also download the formula from a designated Web site and calculate dosages themselves after entering in the required numbers.
Despite the formula, Lee said that patients would still need to take blood tests regularly to ensure the drug’s effectiveness.
Taiwan is to commence mass production of the Tien Kung (天弓, “Sky Bow”) III, IV and V missiles by the second quarter of this year if the legislature approves the government’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.78 billion) special defense budget, an official said yesterday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, a defense official with knowledge of the matter said that the advanced systems are expected to provide crucial capabilities against ballistic and cruise missiles for the proposed “T-Dome,” an advanced, multi-layered air defense network. The Tien Kung III is an air defense missile with a maximum interception altitude of 35km. The Tien Kung IV and V
The disruption of 941 flights in and out of Taiwan due to China’s large-scale military exercises was no accident, but rather the result of a “quasi-blockade” used to simulate creating the air and sea routes needed for an amphibious landing, a military expert said. The disruptions occurred on Tuesday and lasted about 10 hours as China conducted live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait. The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said the exercises affected 857 international flights and 84 domestic flights, affecting more than 100,000 travelers. Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a research fellow at the government-sponsored Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said the air
A strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants were
Taiwan lacks effective and cost-efficient armaments to intercept rockets, making the planned “T-Dome” interception system necessary, two experts said on Tuesday. The concerns were raised after China’s military fired two waves of rockets during live-fire drills around Taiwan on Tuesday, part of two-day exercises code-named “Justice Mission 2025.” The first wave involved 17 rockets launched at 9am from Pingtan in China’s Fujian Province, according to Lieutenant General Hsieh Jih-sheng (謝日升) of the Office of the Deputy Chief of the General Staff for Intelligence at the Ministry of National Defense. Those rockets landed 70 nautical miles (129.6km) northeast of Keelung without flying over Taiwan,
RSS