Pharmacogenomic Testing and Warfarin Management
Pharmacogenomic Testing and Warfarin Management
Rapid advances in pharmacogenomic research will continue to lead to improvements in the pharmacologic management of disease processes. For some disease treatment protocols, clinical practitioners may come to rely on genetic and pharmacogenetic testing as a routine standard of care when initiating and managing drug therapy.
However, whether genetic testing is warranted in the initiation of warfarin therapy is undetermined. Genetic information may serve to inform clinical practitioners of a patient's increased risk of bleeding or metabolism of warfarin, but it should not be used as a substitute for more traditional means of monitoring the initiation and ongoing management of warfarin therapy. Clinicians should educate patients about the pros and cons of pharmacogenetic testing before recommending it as a tool in the pharmacologic management of warfarin therapy.
Conclusion
Rapid advances in pharmacogenomic research will continue to lead to improvements in the pharmacologic management of disease processes. For some disease treatment protocols, clinical practitioners may come to rely on genetic and pharmacogenetic testing as a routine standard of care when initiating and managing drug therapy.
However, whether genetic testing is warranted in the initiation of warfarin therapy is undetermined. Genetic information may serve to inform clinical practitioners of a patient's increased risk of bleeding or metabolism of warfarin, but it should not be used as a substitute for more traditional means of monitoring the initiation and ongoing management of warfarin therapy. Clinicians should educate patients about the pros and cons of pharmacogenetic testing before recommending it as a tool in the pharmacologic management of warfarin therapy.
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