Genomics and Precision Medicine to Direct Statin Use in the Young

The delivery of precision medicine to pediatric cardiology remains complex with a number of challenges ahead. With recent advances in whole genome sequencing, rapid acquisition of a patient's genomic data is possible. However, the challenge remains how we best implement this new data into clinical practice. Predicting drug disposition and response of the individual patient requires a thorough knowledge of the entire dose-exposure-response relationship of each individual drug and knowledge of the factors that make each individual unique. This goal of precision medicine is even more complex in the developing child where drug disposition and response pathways may still be maturing. Herein, we will illustrate the challenges and pitfalls that may occur when trying to deliver pediatric precision medicine using the statins as a prototype.