Pharmacogenetics and Obstetric Anesthesia and Analgesia

Approximately 50 years ago, pharmacogenetics emerged as a new field of medicine that may explain human drug action. Anesthesia, in particular, played a key role in these early investigations. An understanding of how an individual’s genetic footprint influences drug metabolism and effectiveness may allow tailored prescriptions, improving outcomes and safety; and such concepts, which form the backbone of personalized medicine, have raised a lot of hope. The ultimate goal of pharmacogenetics research is to offer ‘tailored personalized medicine’ with a view to improving the efficacy of medication as well as patient safety by helping predict risks of adverse outcomes.