Blood Thinner & Anticoagulant Medications, Stroke Prevention & Pharmacogenomics

The Problem with these medications

• One of the most commonly prescribed medications for stroke & heart attack prevention in the UK.

• Studies of European populations show that 32% of individuals have genetic variants that prevent certain medications from working.

• In British South Asian individuals, this rises to 57%.

• People in the study with two loss-of-function CYP2C19 variants were more than three times more likely to have recurrent heart attacks.

• More than two in three British South Asians in the study who had had a heart attack received certain medications.

• Currently, prescribing medications often involves a trial-and-error approach.

Benefits of Pharmacogenomics (PGx) Testing

• Reduces prescription guesswork by providing insights into an individual's genetic profile.

• Pharmacogenomic testing can identify individuals who are poor metabolisers of CYP2C19.

• Blood thinners / Anticoagulants are activated in the liver by enzymes called CYP2C19, but in some cases, genetic differences mean this won’t happen properly.

• These individuals are less likely to benefit from some because they cannot effectively activate the medication.

• PGx testing can help healthcare professionals choose the medication and doses that are most likely to work for each individual patient.

• By selecting the most appropriate medication, tailored to each patient's genetic predisposition from the outset, testing can ultimately reduce the risk of recurrent heart attacks.

The Side Effects of Blood Thinners and How PGx Testing Can Help

Like all medications, anticoagulants can cause side effects. These can include:

• Bleeding

• Bruising

• Diarrhoea

• Headaches

• Stomach pains

• Indigestion & others

However, Pharmacogenomic testing can help reduce the risk of these side effects by identifying individuals who are less likely to respond to certain medications.

PGx testing can help ensure that these individuals are prescribed alternative medications that may have fewer side effects.

The Future of PGx Testing and Anticoagulants

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in England and Wales has issued new guidelines on the use of an antiplatelet medication used to prevent further ischaemic strokes or transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs). The latest recommendations now advocate for pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing for patients who have previously experienced a stroke or TIA. These guidelines were published on 31 July 2024.

Find out which Medication this affects Most?

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Conclusion

At Mantara, we understand the importance of personalised healthcare solutions. Our DNA affects how our bodies respond to medicine, if they’re effective, risk side effects, or require adjusted dosages.

Pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing allows healthcare professionals to write personalised prescriptions and determine optimal dosages based on an individual's DNA.

Your DNA Is Unique, So Why Isn’t Your Prescription?

Our Test Covers 77 Medicines

Click here to see the full list of medicines that our test covers.

Sources

• "Why some people are at risk of a heart attack | BBC News" - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-65632144

• "Genomics Education Programme" - https://www.genomicseducation.hee.nhs.uk/genotes/knowledge-hub

• "CYP2C19 genotype testing to guide anticoagulant medication use after ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack | Guidance | NICE" - https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-dg10054

• "Medication used to prevent heart attacks may be ineffective for British South Asians | NIHR" - https://www.nihr.ac.uk/news/medication-used-to-prevent-heart-attacks-may-be-ineffective-for-british-south-asians/34274