Physicians and family taking care of a 6-year-old boy diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) found a common medication used to treat the condition was having the reverse effect. The boy, being treated by providers in Thailand, was described as mischievous, disorderly and restless while at school. He would ignore people around him and even created and spoke his … Read More
Research reveals significant impact of drug-gene and drug-drug-gene interactions
Why do some patients react differently to the same drug? A study using data analyzed by the YouScript Personalized Prescribing Software has quantified the role genotypes may play in causing adverse drug reactions. The research, published in the journal Pharmacogenomics, showed that a combined 33.9 percent of all potential clinically significant drug interactions were due to drug-gene and drug-drug-gene interactions. These potential … Read More
Study strengthens link between gene variants and bleeding risk in warfarin patients
New research offers more evidence for the connection between CYP2C9 and VKORC1 variants and increased bleeding risk in patients taking warfarin. A large-scale study published in the March edition of the Lancet found that atrial fibrillation patients whose CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genetic variations made them highly sensitive to warfarin were nearly three times more likely to experience bleeding than those … Read More
Case Report: Boy becomes comatose after painkiller treatment
One day after a 5½-year-old boy was released from the hospital for a routine tonsillectomy, he was comatose in the ER. The boy had undergone surgery to remove his tonsils and adenoids to treat obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, a potentially serious sleep disorder that causes pauses in breathing and a blocked airway. The surgery was successful, and he was sent … Read More
Large study links DPYD genetic variations and toxicity of cancer drug
The association between variants of the DPYD gene and serious side effects from the cancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5–FU) in colon cancer patients has been bolstered by the results of recent large-scale study. The largest study to date investigating the association between DPYD variants and 5-FU adverse drug events has found a statistically significant association between two variants that decrease DPYD … Read More
The Future: Pharmacogenetics in Primary Care
Primary care physicians are in a prime position to advance the continued implementation of pharmacogenetic testing to improve patient care, according to a review article in the journal Primary Care Reports. The article, which appeared in the October issue of Primary Care Reports, makes the case that primary care physicians are ideally positioned to advise patients in a manner that … Read More
Keep heart healthy during the month of February
February is a time to keep hearts on the mind: both with Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14 and the entire 28 days being recognized as American Heart Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. among both men and women, with about 600,000 people per year … Read More
Case Report: Muscle weakness in both father and son after statin therapy suggests genetic link
A 48-year man came to his cardiologist for an unscheduled visit complaining of worsening muscle pain and weakness in his arms and legs. He was finding it hard to exercise and even climb stairs. Two weeks before, the man had been fitted with a stent in his right coronary artery after he showed signs of coronary artery disease and put … Read More
Flawed studies informed recommendations against CYP2D6 testing for tamoxifen treatment, new study finds
A recent Mayo Clinic study has found that clinical recommendations discouraging the use of CYP2D6 genetic testing to advise tamoxifen treatment in women with breast cancer should be reconsidered because some of the studies the recommendations were based on had flawed methodology. The article, published in the January issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, found that some … Read More
Genelex announces new genetic testing options
Genelex is excited to announce the next chapter in the company’s ongoing mission to improve patient care and reduce adverse drug events. Genelex is unveiling five new panels and 17 new genetic testing options to augment our existing panel of six tests that form the core of the YouScript Personalized Prescribing System. In conjunction with the YouScript Personalized Prescribing software, … Read More