New Pillcheck Study in Long Term Care shows the potential benefit of matching people’s drug treatment to their DNA in Elder Care
Study shows that over 80% could benefit from a pharmacogenetic test and improve treatment.
Many older adults, especially those in elder care, are at risk of harmful medication-related side effects. Often, the issues are preventable with an easy pharmacogenetic test and a medication review by an expert pharmacist. A recent study involving Pillcheck in four long term care residences has shown that 80% of the elderly take two or more medications that can be tailored to a person’s genetics, showing the potential benefit of pharmacogenetics for this group.
Older adults are often treated with multiple medications that are mismatched to their unique genetics. Mismatched treatment can worsen your loved ones’ health because of adverse reactions to medications such as bleeding, GI upset, and drug-induced delirium. These are all common reasons for hospitalization for seniors. Personalizing medications with pharmacogenetics can improve the management of chronic pain, depression, heart disease and many other conditions within the older adult population.
Dr. Ruslan Dorfman, lead author of the study and Chief Scientific Officer at GeneYouIn, which developed Pillcheck, said, “These findings are very relevant for the one in four Canadians who provide care to an elderly family member. Medication-related complications are avoidable with Pillcheck. Investment in personalized medications management supports optimum functioning for individuals and can support more independent, home-based care.”
Pillcheck analysis identified 114 distinct drug therapy problems in the 90 study participants, of which 29 were classified as serious.
Pillcheck-based medication management can reduce the risk of antidepressant-induced dementia, prevent strokes and heart attacks, statin-induced muscle pain, reduce the risk of drug-induced vitamin B12 deficiency, and other complications. With the Pillcheck service, family members can get insights into an older person’s medications and make informed decisions with doctors and pharmacists on therapy adjustment.
For more information on the study, see Individualized Medication Management in Ontario Long-Term Care Clinical Impact on Management of Depression, Pain, and Dementia published in the American Medical Directors Association: June 2020 (Volume 21, Issue 6).
Pillcheck service for elderly family members may be eligible for reimbursement through Health Care Spending Accounts.
About GeneYouIn and the Pillcheck Service
GeneYouIn brings precision medicine to public and private health plans globally. It has commercialized PillcheckTM, a genomics-guided personalized medication management service that predicts how medications work, limiting potential side effects and helping individuals feel better, sooner. Pillcheck’s proprietary platform connects healthcare providers and consumers while reducing exposure to unnecessary costs for payers.
Visit www.pillcheck.com to learn more about Pillcheck.
For more information:
Veronika Litinski, CEO, [email protected]
