by PGx Medical | Aug 31, 2016 | Testimonials, Uncategorized
Pharmacogenetics aligns current and future medications with each persons unique genetic profile.
“The promise of Pharmacogenetics is real and can provide tremendous clinical information for which any physician, practitioner or pharmacist can make adjustments to a patients medication regimen. What PGx Medical offers in partnering with clinicians and LTC communities eliminates a tremendous amount of the confusion and work surrounding the proper implementation of a successful pharmacogenetics program. Pharmacogenetics is a tremendous tool to help clinicians be more precise and efficient. PGx Medical is the partner with the experience you can trust.”
Jeff McCormack, Ph.D. , HCLD
Dean, College of Natural and Health Sciences
Lawson Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Clinical Professor of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences
by PGx Medical | Jul 27, 2016 | Uncategorized
The pain was too intense to ignore. Sixteen years later, Tony Cirrincione still remembers it. He was on a weekend ski trip, and he staggered into the ski lodge, leaving his wife in charge of their son and the five other Cub Scouts they’d brought along. Wincing at the dull ache in his back, he tried to stretch away what had to a muscle cramp. But the bursts of pain grew only more intense, erupting at more frequent intervals. Soon he was in the emergency room in Chicago. Kidney stones that had him doubled over the triage station. Waiting for the prescription opioid Dilaudid (hydromorphone) to take hold. But it never did. (more…)
by PGx Medical | Jul 27, 2016 | Uncategorized
In October 2013, the Food and Drug Administration cited a study on the percentages of patients for whom drugs are ineffective. The study explained that some of that ineffectiveness could be attributed to errors in dosing, drug-interactions, or non-compliance, researchers estimated that up to 50 percent of those inappropriate responses were likely related to genetic factors.
- Depression 38%
- Asthma 40%
- Cardiac Arrhythmias 40%
- Diabetes 43%
- Migraine 48%
- Arthritis 50%
- Osteoporosis 52%
- Alzheimer’s 70%
- Cancer 75%
For more information on pharmacogenetic testing, contact PGx Medical. Specializing in Aging Services medication management.
by PGx Medical | Jul 27, 2016 | Uncategorized
An elderly person often takes many drugs (polypharmacy). They also have age-related changes that increase the risk of adverse effects.
Many drugs have adverse effects that resemble symptoms of disorders common among the elderly or changes due to aging.
Antipsychotics may cause symptoms that resemble Parkinson disease. In elderly patients, these symptoms may be diagnosed as Parkinson disease and treated, possibly leading to adverse effects from the antiparkinson drugs (eg, orthostatic hypotension, delirium, nausea).
A drug-drug interaction may increase or decrease the effects of one or both drugs. Clinically significant interactions are often predictable and usually undesired. Adverse effects or therapeutic failure may result. Rarely, clinicians can use predictable drug-drug interactions to produce a desired therapeutic effect.
Adverse effects of inappropriate drugs account for about 7% of emergency hospitalizations for patients ≥ 65 yr, and 67% of these hospitalizations are due to 4 drugs or drug classes—warfarin, insulin, oral antiplatelet drugs, and oral hypoglycemic drugs.
Despite the Beers and other criteria, inappropriate drugs are still being prescribed for the elderly; typically, about 20% of community-dwelling elderly received at least one inappropriate drug. In such patients, risk of adverse effects is increased. In nursing home patients, inappropriate use also increases risk of hospitalization and death. In one study of hospitalized patients, 27.5% received an inappropriate drug.
Tools to help reduce adverse events:
Pharmacogenetics is a simple test (swab of the cheek) that can help physicians and other healthcare professionals determine if a drug is appropriate for that individual. Does the drug have the ability, based on that person’s genetic make-up to give them therapy? Are there drug-on-drug interactions that you aren’t aware of? This test can guide clinicians in making actionable clinically based decisions to provide a better quality of life. Making the “guessing game” a thing of the past.
For more information on pharmacogenetics in the aging services industry, contact: PGx Medical, info@pgxmed.com or 405-509-5112.
by PGx Medical | Jul 27, 2016 | Uncategorized
They say it takes a team to raise a village, and most teams in a nursing home or assisted living facility work tirelessly to ensure their residents are healthy, happy and free from any event that might cause them harm. So what happens when that does occur? What is your plan of action to make sure it doesn’t happen again?
According to the CDC, about 1,800 older adults living in nursing homes die each year from fall-related injuries and those who survive frequently sustain injuries that result in permanent disability and reduced quality of life. (more…)
by brant bullard | Aug 15, 2014 | News, Uncategorized
Recently while speaking and educating across the country, we came up with the Top 5 Questions asked about our PGx Metabolic Validation Program. We hope these will answer any question you might have regarding our tool.
Q: Who pays for the metabolic validation test?
PGx: Metabolic Validation (Pharmacogenomics) is available to patients/residents with any of the following coverages:
- Medicare B (100% covered) PGx Medical does not balane bill and there is no co-pay.
- Medicaid is available in select states (100% covered) PGx Medical does not balance bill and there is no co-pay in select states.
- Private Insurance. We believe that every patient should have access to the Metabolic Validation testing. So with the PGx Medical MVT, you are eligible for our Financial Assistance Program.
Q: How do I get tested?
PGx: A doctor must order the metabolic validation test. If your home, clinic or family physician isn’t already testing patients, just tell them you would like to request it and they can request test kits at info@pgxmed.com or call us 405-509-5112. We’ll be happy to coordinate everything for them.
Q: What is the science behind Metabolic Validation/Pharmacogenomics?
PGx: The body of scientific studies and research from the FDA, NIH, drug manufacturers and the molecular genetic community continues to highlight pharmacogenomic values for the use of a metabolic validation tool. Some of the key highlights of the clinical application of this science:
- Over 150 medications have FDA guidance surrounding pharmacogenomics and how medications should be used based on genetic variants. (1)
- FDA has given clear recommendations on how pharmacogenomic information can be incorporated into new medication labeling. (2)
- The National Institute of Health has a list of over 80 medications that they recommend changing the medication or the dosage based on pharmacogenomic information. (3)
Q: Do all patients metabolize mediciation the same way?
PGx: Over 50% of patients have gene variants that alter the rate at which they metabolize medications.
Q: Why am I just now hearing about Metabolic Validation?PGx: Metabolic Validation testing (pharmacogenomics) isn’t new. It has been around for decades. The only difference is medicare has made it affordable and now more available to you. Along with the age of technology which has brought awareness to the general public with unlimited information and education available via the internet so more people are hearing about and understanding the value of metabolic validation. PGx Medical has also made an aggressive effort to bring it to the forefront by partnering with state agencies and speaking/educating across the country regarding the benefits of this once in a lifetime test. Our tool helps healthcare professionals determine the right drug, right dose for the right patient making it easy to incorporate personalized medicine into their patient care.
For more information on the PGx Medical Metabolic Validation Test:
PGx Medical
405-509-5112
info@pgxmed.com
www.pgxmed.com
Source:
http://www.fda.gov/drugs/scienceresearch/researchareas/pharmacogenetics/ucm083378.htm (1)
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/UCM337169.pdf) (2)
http://www.pharmgkb.org/cpic/pairs (3)
