Pharmacogenetics, the scientific investigation of how an individual's genetic composition influences the way his body responds to particular medicines, have once again provoked the interests of many scientists since the completion of the Human Genome project in 2003. The human DNA was completely mapped by the researchers, whom concluded that genetic variations play a very important role in the human body.
Through genetic test, a patient can have his DNA mapped, analyzed and evaluated. The data from such test is remarkably helpful to physicians in treating their patients of their illnesses. In many ways, the patients and doctors can aim for optimal treatment results.
With the knowledge from this scientific research, the doctors can accurately determine the right dose for a certain patient. Based on his genetic constitution, the doctor can predict how his patient will respond to how much dosage: quick metabolism, slow metabolism, or no effect at all. This is beneficial on the part of the patients to prevent the accumulation of toxic levels in the bloodstream.
Moreover, patients of cancer can enjoy the advantages of pharmacogenetics. The physicians will utilize such knowledge to ascertain the ideal drug formulation for a specific tumor. At the genetic level, even tumors of similar type vary. Also, it will be less complicated for doctors to analyze certain genes in a tumor of a patient, and thus, be able to appropriately determine the ideal drug combination to which the tumor will have the best response.
A concrete example of this is the Herceptin. Herceptin, a drug prescribed for breast cancer patients, can only be effective once the tumor cells have gathered extra copies of the HER2 gene, and have high levels of protein this particular gene encodes on their surface.
Further, patients suffering from a bacterial or viral infection can also take advantage of gene mapping. The specialists can analyze the genes of the infected individual and discover the most satisfactory drug therapy. For instance, the US FDA approved a genotyping kit which can detect genetic differences in HIV which make the virus resistant to certain anti-retroviral medicines. If the medicine resistance is detected, the doctors can prescribe other medicines.
Another disorder that afflicts many is depression. It can be cured with a variety of various medicines. Besides that, the process of finding the drug that works best for an individual can be laborious and time-consuming. However, in the future, the genetic test will remove the guesswork from choosing the drug formulation. The test, which involves analyzing a person's liver enzymes, can have a crucial impact particularly the ones in the cytochrome P450 family, which are involved in providing anti-depressants.
Furthermore, the knowledge in pharmacogenetics can be applied to patients stricken with cardiovascular diseases. One particular medicine that is widely prescribed worldwide is the Statins, which, while it can be effective in mitigating the level of LDL in the bloodstream, the responses from patients are highly variables. Hence, the physicians should make adjustments on the dosage for each patient.
Pharmacogenetics is still at its infancy. But its promises are truly promising that future generations can cling hope to.
Author Resource:-
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