Cardiovascular pharmacogenetics of antihypertensive and lipid- lowering therapies

Recent changes to the clinical management guidelines for hypertension and hyperlipidemia have placed emphasis on prevention through the pharmacological control and reduction of cardiovascular risk factors. In conjunction with proper diet and lifestyle changes, such risk factor control necessitates the use of safe and effective pharmacotherapy. However, many patients fail to reach or maintain therapeutic goals due to inadequacy and/or variability in response to antihypertensive and lipid-lowering medications. Thus, given the contribution of both hypertension and hyperlipidemia in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease, a personalized approach to pharmacotherapy, as well as disease prevention, seems particularly prudent. With the advancement of cardiovascular pharmacogenetics, the aim is to identify genetic biomarkers of drug-response and disease-susceptibility in order to make informed and individualized decisions, improving patient care through proper drug selection and dosing.