Pharmacogenetically hazardous drugs: a proposed new scoring method

Area of Science:

• Pharmacogenetics
• Drug Metabolism
• Clinical Pharmacology

Background:

• Individual drug responses vary significantly due to genetic factors (polymorphisms) affecting drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics.
• Inter-individual and inter-ethnic differences in drug response are primarily driven by genetic variations.
• Clinical manifestations of these genetic variations include pharmacogenetic side effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and apply a scoring method for identifying pharmacogenetically hazardous drugs.
• To assess the clinical importance of selecting drugs based on potential pharmacogenetic disorders.
• To mitigate risks associated with inter-individual and inter-ethnic drug response variations.

Main Methods:

• A scoring system was developed considering genetic and environmental factors influencing drug response.
• 140 drugs were evaluated using the scoring method, with maximum points of 18 for genetic and 12 for contributing factors.
• Drugs scoring 20 points or more were classified as hazardous.

Main Results:

• Out of 140 drugs studied, 50 were identified as hazardous across various pharmacogenetic disorders.
• Widely used medications such as Diazepam, Isoniazid, Phenytoin, Warfarin, Quinidine, and Tolbutamide were among the identified hazardous drugs.
• The study provides a comprehensive list and classification of these drugs in a table.

Conclusions:

• The developed scoring method is a valuable tool for identifying pharmacogenetically hazardous drugs.
• This approach can significantly contribute to improving drug safety and implementing preventive medicine strategies.
• Clinical selection of drugs, considering pharmacogenetic profiles, is crucial for patient care.