by brant bullard | Jul 6, 2016 | News
There is a high percentage of patients for whom drugs are ineffectiveIn 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%
Source: genomemag.com, fda.gov
by brant bullard | Jul 4, 2016 | Journal articles
As many as 10 percent of people do not receive pain relief from opioids.
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.
According to Genome Magazine, as many as 10 percent of people do not receive pain relief from opioids. That’s a staggering statistic in a country where more than 75 million people live with chronic pain. Many individuals, like Cirrincione, who don’t respond to certain prescription pain relievers have no idea why. But a type of genetic testing is bringing answers to a growing number of them. (more…)
by brant bullard | Jun 27, 2016 | News
Pharmacists can provide value by focusing on pharmacogenomics associated with medication use.
Pharmacogenetic Testing in the Pharmacy:
Pharmacogenetics is among the many areas of care in which pharmacists can serve as important collaborators with physicians and patients.
Pharmacists and physicians often team up when it comes to patient care. But when it comes to information related to drug metabolism, it is sometimes difficult for physicians to keep up with, so pharmacists can provide input for the team when it comes to pharmacogenetics. (more…)
by brant bullard | Jun 12, 2016 | Journal articles
About half of all medical patients get a drug, in any given year, that could interact with their genes and cause serious side effects.
Article: Scientificamerican.com
Inexpensive gene tests, as yet only available in a few hospitals, could avoid these life-threatening problems. Yet lack of insurance reimbursement and confusion over when and how to alter drug prescriptions hold back tests’ widespread use.
Korei Parker is a boisterous seven-year-old with an infectious smile who improvises her own songs and loves to share them out loud. On an April day two years ago ago in Memphis, Tenn., where she lives, Korei came home from school with strange bruises. She had bumped into some things, she said—maybe a desk—but not hard enough to cause deep marks. Her mother, Rhonda, called their pediatrician and set up an appointment for later that week. But the next morning Korei woke up with new splotches across her arm and forehead. And when Korei brushed her teeth, her gums started to bleed. (more…)
by brant bullard | Jun 7, 2016 | Metabolic Validation Program
Pharmacogenetics, also now known as pharmacogenomics, is the study of genetic variability in the response to drug treatment.
Past:
The Human Genome Project was published in 2003, which was a large collaboration targeted at understanding the effects that the human genome can have on physiological functions, particularly the response to pharmaceuticals.
Present:
Presently pharmacogenetics is used to target drugs according to the specific genetic makeup of each patient and has tangible benefits in practice, if implemented correctly. Healthcare professionals need to be educated on the process as well as implementing any recommended changes based on the individual’s test report. Since the pharmacogenetic test is a once-in-a-lifetime test, the results are not only good for their current medication regimen, it is also a roadmap for future medications. This is why ongoing education is so important. (more…)
