John Ingle , Times Record News 1:49 p.m. CT Feb. 12, 2017

Times Record News business/metro editor John Ingle, left, asks questions as Dr. Jeremy Johnson of Olney Family Clinic explains the results of Ingle's GeneMed pharmacogenetic screening. The test helps determine which medications or combinations of medications can be most effective for a patient or which to avoid, based on their specific DNA.(Photo: Torin Halsey/Times Record News)Buy Photo

Well, the good news is my prescribed medications for diabetes and high blood pressure are genetically effective for my body's make-up.

Back in January, I agreed to undergo a simple pharmacogenetic screening at Olney Family Clinic in Olney, a relatively new tool physicians there are using to aid in the treatment oftheir patients more effectively. The procedure included sharing my medical history with Dr. Jeremy Johnson at the clinic, as well as that of my parents; I provided a list of my prescribed medications; and a mouth swab was done to collect the sample.

The screening is able to determine how well, if at all, medications metabolize in my body. If they break down too fast, they'll be absorbed well before they reach their active stage. If I don't have a specific enzyme required to break down the medication, it won't work at all.

"All of your risk assessments, you got a check mark on," said Johnson, a graduate of the John Peter Smith Family Medicine Residency program in Fort Worth. "I really don't have any recommendations to change your medicine, I just have information in case you ever have any situations."

In addition to determining the effectiveness of the medications I'm on, Johnson was also able to get information of what will and won't work in eight different drug categories including antiplatelets, muscle relaxants, opiods, anti-addictives, anti-ADHD, anti-convulsants, antidepressants and antipsychotics. The results provided specific medications that would work the best in each category.

A GeneMed pharmacogenetic screening shows genetically which medications a patient can or cannot metabolize well which can greatly increase the effectiveness of different treatments.(Photo: Torin Halsey/Times Record News)

For example, the pharmacogenetic testing revealed that I would have a reduced response to Plavix, but said Effient or Brilinta would work. The test also showed that I would respond better to the muscle relaxers Flexeril, Robaxin, Skelaxin or Soma instead of Zanaflex.

"It's cool information," Johnson said. "It gives your practitioner so much more information."

The screening also looked at other risks including hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of arteries); thrombophilia (blood clotting); and hyperhomocysteinemia (a marker for heart disease). The results indicated I did not have an increased risk for those.

Johnson said test results for some of his patients have prompted him to alter their medications for more effective treatment of their illnesses. He said there have been no negative side effects for those patients. Physicians are trained in medical school and through national organizations courses of treatment for different illnesses. For example, he said, the first medication typically prescribed for a new diabetic is Metformin, not knowing if it will be compatible with that person's genetic make-up.

"You can go with your best information and do evidence-based research -- they tested this and said this is the perfect medicine," he said. "Well, now we've got anotherlevel (of knowledge). For his genetics, he can't take Metformin because he doesn't metabolize it correctly. Even though the book tells you to put them on that medicine, you can't because it's not right for him. So, we're doing more patient-specific therapies based on this GeneMed testing."

Johnson said he is hopeful pharmacogenetic testing will be something more physicians use and pharmaceutical and insurance companies push for so patients can get the most effective care from the very beginning of their treatment. While my results showed the medications I'm currently on fit my genetic disposition, the outcome also produced information that can be used years down the road.

"Prevention is what I'm supposed to be doing here," he said. "I'm not only supposed to be healing sick people, but really what insurance companies want and what longitudinal care you get with primary care doctors is prevention. We need to try to do prevention ... and this is another way of preventing illness."

Follow John Ingle on Twitter at @inglejohn1973.

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Genetic testing provides writer, doc in-depth info - Times Record News