Pharmacogenetics, Kinetics, and Dynamics for Personalized Medicine

Book excerpt: Pharmacogenetics, Kinetics, and Dynamics for Personalized Medicine provides a primer to understand pharmacogenetics (the study of genetic factors that influence how a drug works) in the applied context of pharmacokinetics (how the body handles a drug) and pharmacodynamics (the effects of a drug on the body). This valuable foundation illuminates how these principles and scientific advances can create optimal individual patient care, that is, "personalized medicine." Through specific drug examples, this resource explores how the genetic constitution of an individual may lead to the need for an altered dose or in some cases alternative drug therapy. Real-world cases highlight the specific relationships between genetics, drug action, and the body's response as well as adverse drug reactions, altered metabolism, and drug efficacy. Ethical issues concerning pharmacogenomics and study design are also discussed in this concise overview.