Pharmacogenomics: An Overview

To increase the drug response, the pharmacogenomics applicable in pharmacotherapy by studying genomic level of the human being pharmacogenomics examine the role of entire genome in both disease susceptibility and drug response; in an attempt to identify specific genes, human genetic variation RNA and protein expression differences, that are associated with specific diseases and that may be targets for new drugs. Pharmacogenomics show ability to explore not only drug metabolizing polymorphisms but also drug target polymorphism, drug transporter polymorphisms.Many factors influence drug responses including age, gender, body weight, patient health, disease status, diet, smoking, alcohol, and exercise and drug interaction. However despite careful consideration of these factors, there is no guarantee that a given treatment will be effective. It is thought that a major cause for variability in drug responses lies in patient's genetic makeup. Genetic variations can be used to explain inter individual differences in drug response.Pharmacogenomics is the study of how individual's genetic inheritance affects the body's response to drugs. The term comes from the words pharmacology and genomics and is thus the intersection of pharmaceuticals and genetics.Pharmacogenomics holds the promise that drugs might one day be tailor-made for individuals and adapted to each person's own genetic makeup. Environment, diet, age, lifestyle, and state of health all can influence a person's response to medicines, but understanding an individual's genetic makeup to be the key to creating personalized drugs with greater efficacy and safety.