A randomized controlled trial showed that people suffering from depression and anxiety recovered faster when their medications were optimized using Pillcheck pharmacogenetics testing (also known as pharmacogenomics or PGx testing). The study evaluated the impact of pharmacogenomics-guided prescribing versus standard antidepressant treatment of depression and anxiety in three large...
The concept of pharmacogenetics, that is, a link between genetic variations and drug response, is over 70 years old. The first paper on the topic was published in 1957 by Arno G Motulsky. Werner Kalow published the book “Pharmacogenetics. Heredity and the response to drugs” back in 1962. Since...
Over 10% of people infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus experience acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and require supportive treatment with oxygen and even mechanical lung ventilation. Multiple COVID-19 complications occur because SARS family coronaviruses can cause extensive heart and lung damage. SARS-CoV-2 viruses can easily penetrate deep into these...
What if you or one of your parents experience depression later in life, and the doctor prescribes an antidepressant? It’s important to understand the health risks and take careful steps to minimize them, especially if other medications are being taken as well. As we get older, medication management becomes...
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a complex chronic disease of the gastrointestinal tract. Multiple factors are known to influence predisposition to UC, including genetics, gut microbiota composition, and diet. A recent genetic analysis of gut epithelial cells in UC patients revealed unique patterns of mutation that drive disease progression. Mutations...
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive autoimmune disease affecting the brain and spinal cord, leading to weakness of limb muscles, tremors, poor coordination and electric shock sensation from certain movements. MS also causes chronic fatigue and can affect vision, memory and speech. The causes of MS are still unknown,...
Chronic pain is notoriously hard to treat. Affected individuals endure pain for months or years, trying desperately to find a remedy to take the pain away. Unfortunately, less than 30% of patients respond, even with the best treatment. It may take several months to reduce the pain to tolerable...
Hypertension is a risk factor for developing dementia later in life. Effective blood pressure control and prevention of age-related hyper and hypotension, or high and low blood pressure, is vital for reducing dementia risk. Several medications might be needed to reduce your risk of heart disease and vascular dementia,...
Key points to remember: If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with psychotic depression, treatment may involve both antidepressant and antipsychotic medications. Continuing treatment with Zoloft (sertraline) and Zyprexa (olanzapine) even after a patient is considered stable can be effective in preventing relapses Doctors can use pharmacogenetic...
The treatment and diagnosis of mental health conditions is posing challenges for family physicians. Patients with symptoms of anxiety and depression frequently do not respond to antidepressants leading to multiple trials with different drugs. Only when a patient has failed several drug trials s/he is referred to psychiatrist for...
