Welcome to our Friday FOCUS on Pharmacogenetics
Each Friday we will post new and relevant information regarding Pharmacogenetics. We hope you will find this useful and pass along to colleagues. If you should have any questions regarding pharmacogenetics, please feel free to reach out to us at PGx Medical, info@pgxmed.com or 405-509-5112.
Pharmacogenetics and depression:
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a condition that affects 10% to 15% of patients during their lifetime and has significant physical, social, and economic consequences. The primary goal for treatment of MDD is to treat the underlying symptoms, restore functioning and prevent recurrence of depressive episodes.
Scientific advancements in pharmacogenetics or “personalized medicine” have provided alternative methods for aligning drugs to each patients unique genetic profile. Pharmacogenomics has been successfully used to optimize selection of medications and dosing, and avoid adverse effects.
Pharmacogenetics may be useful in not only selecting a particular antidepressant for a patient but also in detecting potential adverse effects and reducing premature discontinuations of antidepressants.
Although effective treatment for mood and anxiety disorders have been available for more than 40 years, 30-50% of depressed patients and 25% of patients with anxiety disorder do not respond sufficiently to first-line treatment with antidepressants. Patients who received antidepressants based on genetically-guided interpretive reports provided to prescribers had greater response rates and remission after 8 weeks.
PGx Medical is the trusted and experienced resource for the implementation of pharmacogenetics in the field of aging services. Our team works with physicians, pharmacists and other clinicians across the country educating them on the clinical value of pharmacogenetics for depression and other forms of mood and anxiety disorders.
In the long-term care setting, pharmacogenetics can help with the new 2017 CMS requirements in regards to comprehensive care planning and drug regimen review, including psychotropic and pain management assessments.
For more information on pharmacogenetics, contact PGx Medical at info@pgxmed.com or 405-509-5112.
Source: ncbi.com, psychiatriyadvisor.com