Study: Falls more common among older adults with pain

Recurrent falls were more than twice as common in elderly people suffering from pain than those who were not, according to the results of a recent study. The article, published in the October issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, found that 19.5 percent of adults 65 and older who reported bothersome pain in the last month also … Read More

The Pharmacist’s Corner: Clopidogrel dosing and genetic variations

By Rachel Sass, PharmD Should providers increase the clopidogrel dose in patients with decreased functioning CYP2C19 enzymes? Clopidogrel (Plavix) is one of the most well studied medications in pharmacogenetics.  Clopidogrel is a prodrug, meaning that it needs to be converted to an active metabolite in the body to have an effect. This metabolizing process occurs in part via the polymorphic … Read More

Study shows 50% drop in serious bleeding with DNA-guided warfarin treatment

A new meta-analysis of clinical trials scrutinizing warfarin dosing methods found that warfarin treatment guided by individual genotypes reduced instances of serious bleeding by more than half compared to standard dosing approaches. The work lends support to the importance of genetic testing for the genes CYP2C9 and VKORC1, variations of which can influence warfarin’s therapeutic effect. In August 2007, the U.S. … Read More

Gene Spotlight: 5HTT and antidepressant medications

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in 10 Americans aged 12 and older takes antidepressant medications. The majority of these drugs are metabolized by the body’s highly genetically variable CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 pathways. Response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a commonly prescribed type of antidepressant, may also be affected by variations in … Read More

Study: Pharmacogenomic knowledge gaps persist among physicians

More work seems needed to better familiarize physicians with the concept of pharmacogenomic testing, according to the results of a recent study. The study in the August edition of Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine found that just 12.6 percent of the 300 physicians surveyed strongly or somewhat agreed with the question, “How familiar are you with pharmacogenomics?” Study authors Johansen Taber and Dickinson report this study gels with past research on … Read More

FDA warns supplements, meds can be dangerous blend

Mixing medications with dietary supplements, such as vitamins and herbal products, can be dangerous, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cautioned. Certain dietary supplements can boost the effects of other medications as well as change how the human body processes medications, according to the FDA, thereby changing the blood levels of that medication. “[Patients] may be getting either … Read More

Genelex named top-10 fastest-growing business in Seattle

A national business magazine has named Genelex the 10th fastest-growing private company in Seattle. In the fifth such listing for Genelex this year, Inc. magazine has included the Seattle-based company at the number 10 spot in its list of the top-10 fastest-growing private companies in Seattle. Genelex is the only healthcare software and genetic testing company included on the list. … Read More

The Pharmacist’s Corner: What roles can pharmacists play in pharmacogenetics?

By Rachel Sass, PharmD What is your perception of a pharmacist? Someone in a white coat at the local pharmacy who fills your prescriptions, answers your questions and helps you pick out the right over-the-counter medicine? This is how pharmacists have historically been remembered, and while this area of pharmacy is still critical to the field, the pharmacist’s role has … Read More

Study finds opioid use common amongst disabled Medicare recipients

A recent study illuminates the prevalence of opioid painkiller use in a particularly vulnerable population: disabled Americans on Social Security disability insurance. The article, published in the September edition of the journal Medical Care, found the percentage of Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) recipients younger than 65 receiving any amount of opioid prescriptions rose from 43.9 percent in 2007 to … Read More