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You have a headache. Do you reach for Tylenol or Advil? Most people have a preference because they have learned over time that one works better than the other at relieving their pain. This type of variability from person to person is true for nearly every medication, whether it requires a prescription or can be purchased over the counter.
Pharmacists, physicians and researchers have tried for decades to understand why the same medication, at the same dose, can work well for some people but not for others, or why some people need higher or lower doses of the same drug, or why some people have side effects, while others do not. Many factors contribute to these differences in how people respond to the same medication, including age, other medications they may be taking, kidney function and cigarette smoking, to name a few. But it’s become increasingly clear that genetics can also be an important factor.
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Understanding how these genetic differences work means that physicians can take a more personalized approach to selecting the right medication and dosage for each individual. This is called pharmacogenetics, and pharmacogenetic tests to guide use of certain medications are becoming increasingly common.
Read full, original post: How Your Genes Influence What Medicines Are Right for You
