Has Strattera caused you to have side effects or adverse drug
reactions?
Do you have a long history of reactions to medications?
Is your physician thinking of prescribing Strattera?
Are you
concerned about drug safety?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should consider
ordering a Prescription
Drug Reaction Testing Panel from Genelex.
Strattera is a non-stimulant medication known as a norepinephrine
reuptake inhibitor used for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADD and ADHD). Although the FDA has approved the drug, an FDA
warning was issued in December of 2004 about the "potential
for severe liver injury". The FDA has since requested that the insert be updated to include genetic information
(click here to learn more about the review process).
Strattera is one of many medications processed through
pathways in your liver. These pathways vary in their ability
to process drugs based on your unique genetic make-up. According
to the package
insert for Strattera (atomoxetine HCl) "it
is eliminated primarily by oxidative metabolism through the Cytochrome
P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) enzymatic pathway... A fraction of the population
(about 7% of Caucasians and 2% of African-Americans) are poor
metabolizers (PMs) of CYP2D6 metabolized drugs. These individuals
have reduced activity in this pathway resulting in 10-fold higher
AUCs, 5-fold higher peak plasma concentrations, and slower elimination
{plasma half-life of about 24 hours (compared to 5 hours} of
atomoxetine compared with people with normal activity {extensive
metabolizers (EMs)}. Adverse events...were either twice as
frequent or statistically significantly more frequent in PM patients
compared with EM patients."
Genelex offers Prescription Drug Reaction Testing that can measure
your genetic ability to process many drugs including Strattera.
Your physician can utilize this information to select medications
that are least likely to result in an adverse drug reaction.
Currently, adverse drug reactions are one of the leading causes
of death in our country and one of the major reasons for hospitalization.
Genelex currently offers CYP2D6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, NAT2 and CYP1A2
screens that can help your physician predict your particular
response to Strattera and many other prescription, OTC (over-the-counter)
and herbal medicines. Approximately half of all Americans have
a variation in at least one of these pathways that affects their
ability to process certain drugs.
The Testing Process
The process is simple. You can order testing directly if you have a physician prescription or your healthcare provider can request testing for you. We send 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 requires a prescription from a physician.
