PHM-09 - You, Me, and YOUR GENES! The Pharmacogenomics of Pain Management

The field of pharmacogenomics is often viewed as the new frontier in pharmacology, as it quite literally combines pharmacology (the science of drugs) with genomics (the study of genes). Throughout the latter part of 21^st century, research has continued to expand within this field not only in supporting the current use of pharmacogenomic testing in a variety of specialty areas, but identifying multiple genetic variants that can make an instrumental difference when managing pain. This lecture is designed to introduce pharmacogenomics and identify how actions of and reactions to drugs may vary due to a patient’s genome. Both pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic impacts that pharmacogenomic variability may induce will be explored, with specific considerations these may have on opioid analgesics, antidepressants, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).