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Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview

Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview

When it comes to infants and young children, they are typically administered smaller doses of medication in comparison to adults. This is primarily because their organ functions still need to fully develop, meaning their bodies are not as efficient at metabolizing or eliminating drugs. Additionally, their blood-brain barrier is more permeable than in adults. As a result, high concentrations of drugs can easily penetrate the central nervous system (CNS), potentially leading to neurological...

Pharmacogenetic Phenotypes: Alterations in Pharmacokinetics, Drug Targets and Biologic Milieu

Pharmacogenetic Phenotypes: Alterations in Pharmacokinetics, Drug Targets and Biologic Milieu

Genetic variations significantly influence drug response through pharmacokinetics, receptor interactions, and biologic milieu modifications. Pharmacokinetic alterations impact drug metabolism and clearance, affecting efficacy and toxicity. Variants in drug-metabolizing enzymes, such as CYP2C9 and CYP2C19, alter drug activation and elimination. For example, CYP2C9 loss-of-function variants require lower warfarin doses to prevent excessive bleeding, while CYP2C19 variants reduce clopidogrel...

Drug Toxicity: Risk factors

Drug Toxicity: Risk factors

Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) are potential complications that arise during pharmacotherapy, influenced by multiple risk factors. Age plays a significant role; both neonates and the elderly are at heightened risk due to their respective immature and diminished metabolic and elimination processes. Gender also impacts ADRs, with females experiencing a 1.5 to 1.7-fold greater risk than males, which may be linked to pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and hormonal differences. Notably, neonates, the...

Principles of Pharmacogenetics: Types of Genetic Variants

Principles of Pharmacogenetics: Types of Genetic Variants

The human genome is over 99.9% identical between individuals, yet genetic differences exist at millions of bases. The human genome contains approximately 3 million variant positions per individual, many of which are heterozygous, contributing to genetic diversity and individual traits. Genetic variations include single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), insertions, deletions, and copy number variations (CNVs).SNPs, the most common variation, involve single-base changes in DNA. These can be...

Pharmacogenetics of Drug Metabolism: Overview

Pharmacogenetics of Drug Metabolism: Overview

Genetic polymorphism in drug metabolism is crucial to the inter-individual variability observed in drug responses. Drug metabolism primarily involves the chemical modification of drugs and other xenobiotics to enhance their elimination by increasing their polarity. Two main classes of enzymes mediate this biotransformation process: Phase I enzymes, primarily cytochrome P450s, catalyze oxidation and reduction reactions, while other enzymes, such as esterases, mediate hydrolysis, and Phase II...

Drug toxicity: Idiosyncratic Reactions

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Idiosyncratic drug reactions represent abnormal chemical responses that vary significantly among individuals, ranging from extreme sensitivity to low doses to insensitivity to high doses. These reactions often occur due to the drug's covalent binding with serum proteins, forming a foreign hapten that triggers an immunotoxicological response. The variability in drug reactions has a strong pharmacogenetic foundation, with genetic differences crucial in how individuals metabolize drugs. For...

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Updated: May 14, 2026

Preclinical Model of Prenatal Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposure to Assess Its Impact on Neurodevelopmental Outcomes

Preclinical Model of Prenatal Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposure to Assess Its Impact on Neurodevelopmental Outcomes

Published on: February 28, 2025

Ethnic differences in drug utilization pattern during pregnancy: a cross-sectional study.

M A Baraka¹, S Steurbaut, D Coomans

¹Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium. Mohamed.Baraka2020@gmail.com

The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine : the Official Journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians

|January 29, 2013

Summary

Western pregnant women used more medications, including potentially harmful ones, compared to Arab/Turkish women. Continuous monitoring of drug use during pregnancy is crucial for all women.

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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

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Last Updated: May 14, 2026

Preclinical Model of Prenatal Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposure to Assess Its Impact on Neurodevelopmental Outcomes

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Published on: February 28, 2025

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

Area of Science:

Obstetrics and Gynecology
Pharmacology
Public Health

Background:

Medication use during pregnancy is common but carries potential risks.
Ethnic and origin-based differences in medication exposure are not well-understood.
Ensuring drug safety for pregnant women requires careful consideration of various factors.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate and compare medication exposure patterns among multi-ethnic pregnant women.
To identify differences in the types and safety categories of medications used.
To assess the prevalence of potentially harmful drug use across different ethnic groups.

Main Methods:

A cross-sectional study involving 641 pregnant women of Western, Arab/Turkish, and other origins in Brussels.
Data collected via questionnaires regarding medication use during pregnancy.
Drug safety assessed using the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) risk classification system.

Main Results:

83.8% of women used at least one preparation (including multivitamins); 37.0% used at least one drug (excluding multivitamins).
Western women (43.7%) used significantly more medications than Arab/Turkish women (28.7%).
Higher exposure to potentially unsafe drugs (FDA C/D) and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs was observed in Western women.

Conclusions:

While no FDA X category drugs were used, Western women showed higher exposure to potentially harmful medications (FDA C/D) and OTC drugs.
Significant ethnic disparities in medication exposure exist among pregnant women.
Cautious prescribing and continuous monitoring of medication use in women of fertile age and during pregnancy are recommended.