Examples of drugs with serious side effects and how pharmacogenetics can help prevent them

There are many medications that can have serious, even life-threatening side effects if taken incorrectly or if there is an interaction with other medications. Pharmacogenetics can help prevent these serious side effects by analyzing a patient's genes to determine how his or her body processes certain medications. Here are some examples of medications with serious side effects and how pharmacogenetics can help prevent them:

Codeine: Codeine is an opioid painkiller that is converted to morphine in the body. The CYP2D6 gene is responsible for the conversion of codeine to morphine. Some people have a variant in this gene that causes them to convert codeine to morphine much faster than normal, which can lead to an overdose.

Tamoxifen: Tamoxifen is used to treat breast cancer and is metabolized mainly through the CYP2D6 gene. Some variants in this gene may make tamoxifen less effective in preventing breast cancer recurrence.

Clopidogrel: An anticoagulant used to prevent blood clots after a heart attack or stroke. Clopidogrel must be activated in the liver to be effective. However, some genetic variants of the CYP2C19 gene can decrease the activity of the enzyme that activates clopidogrel, which can decrease the drug's effectiveness and increase the risk of serious cardiovascular events.

Azathioprine: A drug used in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Azathioprine is metabolized in the liver through the TPMT enzyme. However, some genetic variants of the TPMT gene can decrease the activity of the enzyme, which can increase the risk of serious side effects, such as bone marrow suppression.

Abacavir: Abacavir is a drug used in the treatment of HIV that can cause a severe allergic reaction in some people. The allergic reaction is related to the HLA-B*5701 gene variant.

In summary, pharmacogenetics can help prevent serious side effects from medications by analyzing a patient's genes to determine how his or her body processes certain drugs. This can help physicians select the proper dosage and safest medications for each individual patient.

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