Day 11 of 12 Education: It is estimated that 1 in 5 adults in the US are dealing with mental illness. There is a myriad of medications on the market to treat depression, anxiety, bipolar and other mental health conditions. How does a prescriber decide what to try? Multiple aspects are considered, such as the […]
CYP2D6
Day 9 of 12 – PGx and NGx Education
Day 9 of 12 Education: Dextromethorphan also known as the “DM” found in many cough and cold products is metabolized and inactivated in the body by an enzyme called CYP2D6. The normal “half-life” or time it takes for the level of DM in a person’s body to be reduced by half is 2 to 4 […]
Day 3 of 12 – PGx and NGx Education
Day 3 of 12 Education: Our genetics play an important role in how we respond to pain medication, including opioids. Have you ever known someone who says codeine does nothing for their pain? Or perhaps you know someone who says codeine makes them feel really sick and out of it? Codeine itself can be a […]
Over the counter medications and genetics
Pharmacogenetic testing only benefits those who take prescription medications, right? Wrong! Pharmacogenetic testing can help inform the safe use of over-the-counter medications like NSAIDs (ibuprofen and naproxen) and proton pump inhibitors (lansoprazole, omeprazole, esomeprazole). PGx testing can also tell you about risks with a common cold remedy: dextromethorphan. Also known as “DM” and “DXM”, dextromethorphan […]
Do you or a loved one take tamoxifen?
Do you or a loved one take tamoxifen? If so, read on! Tamoxifen has been approved for both the treatment of breast cancer and the prevention of breast cancer. I recently spoke with a patient with a family history of breast cancer who was going to meet with an oncologist and consider starting tamoxifen for […]