Pharmacogenetics

ByShalini S. Lynch, PharmD, University of California San Francisco School of Pharmacy
Reviewed/Revised Jul 2022
View Patient Education

    Pharmacogenetics involves variations in drug response due to genetic makeup.

    The activity of drug-metabolizing enzymes often varies widely among healthy people, making metabolism highly variable. Drug elimination rates vary up to 40-fold. Genetic factors and aging seem to account for most of these variations.

    Pharmacogenetic variation (eg, in acetylation, hydrolysis, oxidation, or drug-metabolizing enzymes) can have clinical consequences (see table Examples of Pharmacogenetic VariationsGenetic, environmental, and developmental factors that can interact).

    Table
    Table

    Genetic, environmental, and developmental factors that can interact, causing variations in drug response among patients

    Drugs Mentioned In This Article
    quizzes_lightbulb_red
    Test your KnowledgeTake a Quiz!
    Download the free Merck Manual App iOS ANDROID
    Download the free Merck Manual App iOS ANDROID
    Download the free Merck Manual App iOS ANDROID