Are you taking or considering antidepressants?
Have you experienced side effects?
Has the medication not had the desired effect?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are not alone. Almost one third of Americans currently take antidepressant medications and many have had problems finding the right drug and dose. This is not surprising to people that study genetics - research shows that of all the clinical factors such as age, sex, weight, general health and liver function that alter a patient's response to drugs, genetic factors are the most important.
Virtually all medications used to treat depression are metabolized by two enzymes in the liver: CYP2D6 and CYP2C19. Additionally, response to a group of commonly prescribed antidepressants called serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is affected by the serotonin transporter, 5HTT. Your genes are the main factor determining the level of these enzymes in your liver- if you have too much of the enzyme, you process the medication too quickly, too little of the enzyme and the medication builds up in your bloodstream potentially causing adverse reactions or side effects. Without knowing your genetics, your physician may need to go through months of trial-and-error prescribing to find the right drug and dose for you.
Population Frequency of Cytochrome P450 (CYP) Metabolizer Types
| |
Poor
(no or low enzyme levels) |
Intermediate (reduced enzyme levels) |
Extensive (normal enzyme levels) |
Ultra-Extensive (high enzyme levels) |
| CYP2D6 |
10% |
35% |
48% |
7% |
| CYP2C19 |
2-6% Caucasian
10-20% African
13-23% Asian
38-79% Polynesian, Micornesian
|
4-36% |
7-93% |
N/A |
| 5HTT |
About 40% of the North American population carries a variation that may make them less likely to respond to SSRIs. |
Affected Medications
Elavil®, Endep® (amitriptyline)
Celexa® (citalopram)
Anafranil® (clomipramine)
Prozac ® (fluoxetine)
Tofranil ® (imipramine)
Aurorix ®, Manerix ® (maclobemide)
Zoloft ® (sertraline)
Surmontil ®, Stangyl ®, Surmontil ®, Apo-Trimip ® (trimipramine)
Consonar ® (brofaromine)
Wellbutrin ®, Wellbutrin XR ®, Wellbutrin SR ® (bupropion)
Anafranil ® (clomipramine)
Norpramin ® (desipramine)
Adapin ®, Sinequan ® (doxepin)
Prozac ® (fluoxetine)
Luvox ®, Fluvoxamine ® Maleate ® (fluvoxamine)
Tofranil ® (imipramine)
Ludiomil ®, Deprilept ®, Psymion ® (maprotline)
Pamelor ®, Aventyl ® (nortriptyline)
Paxil ®, Pexeva ® (paroxetine)
Desyrel ®, Trazodone® (trazodone)
Surmontil ® (trimipramine)
Effexor ®, Effexor XR ® (venlafaxine)
Now you can help your healthcare provider optimize your response to antidepressants and many other medications by ordering DNA testing. Your results will be entered into our personalized medication management software, GeneMedRx You or your healthcare providers can log in to see if current or future medications are predicted to cause drug-drug or drug-gene interactions so dosage and selection can be catered to your needs. You receive a 90-day subscription free with your testing; additional one year extensions are available for a nominal fee. Of course, your DNA never changes so the testing only needs to be done once in a lifetime.
Click here to view a list of drugs for which DNA testing will be helpful.
The Testing Process
The process is simple. You order testing and receive a cheek swab collection kit with directions by mail. Use the return mailer to submit samples and receive results in ten days or less. Faster testing is available for an additional charge. Call a DNA testing consultant at (800) 523-3080 for details and to order.
Note: Testing is currently not available to New York residents and can only be ordered through a physician in Maryland and California.
