Perhaps your doctor thinks you should join the millions of people who’ve taken Plavix, a prescription medicine that helps prevent blood clots. But will it be effective for you? Or will another medication you are considering cause serious side effects? Starting a new medication can be a bit of a guessing game, with problems discovered only after the fact.
But your genetic makeup has a lot to say about how you respond to certain medications.
Now, a new type of genetic result from Navigenics can help you take even stronger strides towards a healthier future, by helping you understand which medications work best for you.
Your genetic code holds important information on how you respond to particular medications, and our new results help reveal it. The new Medications feature of the Navigenics service analyzes your genetic responses to 12 prescription drugs. These include everything from common medications, such as drugs designed to lower cholesterol or prevent blood clots, to more specialized drugs used to treat cancer or epilepsy. (See our complete list of medications.)
Your genetic results will reveal whether you carry genetic predispositions for side effects or reduced effectiveness. We’ve also created a new Medications Wallet Card – a condensed, printable version of your Medications results that you can choose to print and carry with you to medical appointments or in case of emergency.
Whether you are taking any of these medications now or simply want to be prepared for the future, you and your doctor can use your genetic information to avoid potential problems and choose medications that are more likely to be a good fit for you. The Navigenics analysis includes your responses to medications such as:
- Beta blockers, sold under brand names such as Coreg® or Inderal®. Beta blockers are used to treat heart conditions, and are one of the top-selling groups of drugs in the world. Yet some people find that beta blockers aren’t effective for them, often because of genetic factors.
- Clopidogrel, sold under the brand name Plavix. Plavix is used to prevent and treat blood clots, and has been prescribed to more than 100 million people, according to its manufacturer. Yet many people who take it don’t show expected anti-clotting response, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently issued new recommendations about the effectiveness of Plavix.
- Statins, sold under brand names such as Lipex, Pravachol and Vytorin. This group of drugs is used to treat high cholesterol, and is one of the most-prescribed groups of drugs in the United States. But some people experience potentially dangerous side effects. Others find that statins don’t lower their cholesterol as much as expected.
- Warfarin, prescribed under the brand name Coumadin. This blood thinner is prescribed millions of times each year, but finding a safe, effective dose is often a guessing game. Since personal genetics affect how you respond to warfarin, knowing your genetic makeup can help reduce the time it takes to find a safe, effective dose for you.
- Another eight important medications, used to treat everything from infections and pain to cancer and HIV. See the full list of prescription drugs included in Navigenics’ genetic analysis.
In addition to our new Medications results, Navigenics also continues to provide personalized genetic analysis of your risk for a variety of health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. These insights give you new control over your health, pointing the way towards steps that help you reduce your risks, catch conditions early, or prevent them entirely.
Navigenics’ comprehensive services also include unlimited access to your own personal genetics expert – board-certified genetic counselors who help you understand all of your results and what to do next.
If you are a Navigenics member, you’ll be able to find your Medication results by logging in to your Navigenics Member report. If you are a physician participating in the Navigenics service, you’ll find your patients’ results updated with Medications outcomes by logging into your Physician Portal account.
Haven’t yet joined Navigenics? Find out more at our website. If you are a physician interested in participating in our service, please contact our Physician Program staff to receive additional information.