Pharmacogenomics has become an area of great potential in the medical community. Therefore, the attitudes and knowledge among healthcare professionals is essential.
Nurses could play a critical role in the integration of pharmacogenomics testing and into routine practice. However, to do this, nurses must be accepting of and knowledgeable about this type of genetic testing.
Nurses who are knowledgeable about this type of testing and therapy will be able to become a patient advocate and discuss the benefits and limitations of this therapy with their patients. Patient advocacy is an essential nursing role and is a part of the definition of nursing set out by the American Nursing Association. However, in order to be a patient advocate, a nurse should have an adequate knowledge base about pharmacogenetic testing as well as accessible resources that may enhance the patient’s understanding of this therapy.
To grasp the basics of pharmacogenomics, you need to understand drug metabolism—specifically the cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzyme system. CYP450 enzymes are the most important drug-metabolizing enzymes, and the CYP450 enzyme system is the most important system affecting drug metabolism. Other genetic factors also affect drug transport proteins, drug absorption, drug receptors, and drug excretion.
In the simplest sense, the goal of pharmacogenomics or metabolic validation testing is to understand the effects of genetics on drug response. If this can be done, drug inefficacy and adverse effects could be predicted and avoided, and appropriate drugs could always be prescribed in the proper dosages.
For more information on pharmacogenomics or how you can implement the PGx Metabolic Validation testing in your facility, contact:
PGx Medical
Individualized Care – Personalized Medicine
info@pgxmed.com
405-509-5112
Resource: Americannursetoday.com