FINDING THE BEST MENTAL HEALTH MEDICATIONS FOR YOU

Did you know, that beyond determining characteristics such as blood type and eye colour, your genes are responsible for how your body processes medications?

Pharmacogenomics, also know as pharmacogenetics, is drug-gene testing that studies how your body’s genes respond to medications. We each inherit thousands of genes from our parents. These genes carry information that determine characteristics such as eye colour, blood type and they also influence how your body responds to different types of medications. Pharmacogenomic tests study changes or variants in your genes that may determine whether a medication will provide effective treatment for you, what the best dose of medication may be, or if you could have side effects from a specific medication. A pharmacogenomic test can help predict how your body may respond to one or a few medications but not all medications. They are particularly helpful when looking at a range of medications targeting a specific condition such as mental health conditions and can help patients received personalised to their unique needs. Medication can be an important aspect of treatment for those struggling with a mental health condition. There are many approved medications on the market today; finding the right medication at the right dose for an individual can take time and the trialling of a range of options that may cause harmful side effects. A person’s response to medication may vary due to factors including age, weight, general health and nutrition. In addition, an individual’s genetic makeup has been consistently shown to influence how a person will respond to certain medications. While new medications have been developed in the hopes of improving outcomes such as tolerability, adherence, safety and efficacy, a person’s response to medication may vary due to factors including age, weight, general health and nutrition. In addition, an individual’s genetic makeup has been consistently shown to influence how a person will respond to certain medications. When a person is suffering from a mental health condition like depression they can’t afford trial and error prescribing. Pharmacogenomic testing allows patients and their healthcare professional to identify patients who might rapidly metabolise medication (ultra-rapid metabolisers) or those who might experience adverse side effects, it can help guide appropriate prescribing and the level of dose that individual should be on. It can also help understand and avoid a lack of drug efficacy in some patient.s The Lab Tests Direct Mental Health DNA Profile analyses patients’ DNA to identify specific genetic variants that can affect how they respond to over 50 psychiatric medications indicated for major depressive disorder (MDD), schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, epilepsy, seizures, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety and other neurological disorders.