Clinicians who treat psychiatric patients know that medications can be lifesaving, but they also know that these same potentially lifesaving psychotropic medications can have serious side effects. We now have a tool in pharmacogenetic testing that can help minimize medication side effects. Patients are increasingly requesting that their provider use this tool to help more accurately select a treatment, address poor treatment response and, probably most important, employ it when patients experience side effects. Most healthcare providers, however, do not receive the adequate training in pharmacogenetics to readily employ this technology.
Additionally, the accessibility of this technology to clinicians, residents, and providers who regularly prescribe psychotropic medications is often limited. To address these shortfalls, two distinguished leaders in this cutting edge field, Dr. David Durham and Dr. Ranjit Thirumaran, wrote Psychiatric Pharmacogenetics from concepts to cases. It is a very unique book in that it was designed for the busy practitioner in mind with succinct information organized in an efficient and well-organized fashion.
The book gives a synopsis of the history of how the science of pharmacogenetics evolved, how this new science can help address the mounting cost of managing adverse drug events, and explains the physiology of pharmacogenetics – the Cytochrome P450 system. The book also provide the readers with a good understanding of the epidemiology of Cytochrome P450 variability as it is one the most important pieces of informing to justify ordering a test.
This book is unique in that it is the first of its kind to dedicate a chapter on how adopting pharmacogenetic technology in clinical practice can markedly reduce medico-legal risk, and increase quality of care. It also dedicates chapters on the ethics and social impact of this rapidly advancing technology.
Finally, and certainly not least, this book provides fifteen detailed clinical cases selected from, patients out of private practices, to illustrate the clinical usefulness of pharmacogenetic testing for patients on psychotropic agents. The case studies are intriguing and useful and compel the reader to wonder why pharmacogenetics is not being used on a routine basis practice.
For the busy psychiatric practitioner, this book promises to advance their knowledge and skills by giving them practical information they can employ immediately.
Dr. Durham points out, “it is past time we use psychotropic medication as a scalpel, and not a broadsword. Through pharmacogenetic testing, we now have the means and the evidence of its effectiveness. We must gather the will to broadly adopt it.”
“The prevalence and burden of depression are predicted to continually grow and continued education in the field of psychiatric pharmacogenetics is important to its widespread acceptance. The benefits are evident as it would allow health care providers to tailor psychotropic treatment with the highest likelihood of success, thus steering in the era of precision medicine,” said Dr. Thirumaran.
Amazon listed Psychiatric Pharmacogenetics from concepts to cases as #1 new release in Genetics and the best seller in the Drug Reference Guide and Genetics category. Interested readers can purchase the paperback for $49.99 and e-book for $34.99 from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple iTunes, Kobo, and Lulu. The hardcover release will occur in late February and the Audiobook is in development and will be ready by February 28, 2017.