Polypharmacy is a rising concern, especially in long-term care and among older adults with chronic conditions. While sometimes clinically necessary, polypharmacy can be problematic when prescriptions are inappropriate, not regularly reviewed, cause more harm than good, or when medications are used to treat side effects.
Deprescribing initiatives are gaining momentum, but the goal isn’t simply to reduce the number of medications. True medication optimization requires informed decisions based on clinical and biological data. That is where PGx can play a pivotal role. Along with regular medication reconciliation and patient education, PGx testing can assist providers in reducing medication burden and improving health outcomes.
Why Polypharmacy Matters
The risks of polypharmacy extend beyond the inconvenience or confusion that comes with taking multiple medications. Each additional medication increases the complexity of care and the potential for serious complications including:
- Adverse drug events (ADEs)
- Drug-drug interactions
- Medication nonadherence
- Cognitive decline, falls, and hospitalizations
These risks are especially pronounced in older adults and those with multiple chronic conditions. Complex medication regimens often lead to prescribing cascades and poor adherence. In fact, over one-third of all medication-related hospital admissions in the U.S. are due to poor adherence (1).
A Precision Medicine-Based Approach to Polypharmacy: What is PGx Testing?
Pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing is a clinical tool that analyzes a patient’s DNA to understand how they metabolize and respond to specific medications. Many commonly prescribed drugs rely on specific enzymes for absorption, metabolism, distribution, and excretion.
With PGx testing, clinicians can:
- Identify medications that are likely to be ineffective or harmful
- Understand how drug metabolism affects dosing needs
- Support evidence-based deprescribing
- Avoid the trial-and-error prescribing cycle
In a recent clinical trial enrolling over 6,000 patients, those who received PGx-guided treatment experienced a 30% reduction in adverse drug reactions (2). Additionally, patients taking medications not aligned with their genetic profile were more than twice as likely to demonstrate poor adherence compared to those taking genomically-concordant medications. (1)
PGx testing not only helps improve prescribing precision, but can also support safer deprescribing efforts.
Moving Towards Personalized Medication Management
As the aging population increases, the need for safer, personalized prescribing continues to grow. PGx offers an actionable, data-driven approach to help optimize medication management and guide thoughtful deprescribing.
Healthcare leaders and providers are uniquely positioned to adopt this tool to enhance medication safety and advance the goals of patient-centered care. Recognizing the complexities of polypharmacy and acting with the support of precision tools like PGx is a critical step forward.
About Genemarkers
Genemarkers is a CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited genomics laboratory specializing in precision testing solutions. We partner with health systems, long-term care facilities, and pharmacies to implement PGx testing programs that support safer prescribing, improved patient outcomes, reduced adverse drug events, and measurable cost savings.
Want to learn more about implementing PGx testing at your facility or across your care network? Let’s connect.
Sources:
- Christian C, Borden BA, Danahey K, et al. Pharmacogenomic-Based Decision Support to Predict Adherence to Medications. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2020;108(2):368-376. doi:10.1002/cpt.1838
- Swen JJ, van der Wouden CH, Manson LE, et al. A 12-gene pharmacogenetic panel to prevent adverse drug reactions: an open-label, multicentre, controlled, cluster-randomised crossover implementation study [published correction appears in Lancet. 2023 Aug 26;402(10403):692. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)01742-7.]. Lancet. 2023;401(10374):347-356. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(22)01841-4