IDIOSYNCRACY

Same symptoms Same findings

Same disease (?)
Same Drug

Possible Reasons:
Non-Compliance…
Drug-drug interactions… Chance…

Or Genetic differences
The study of genetically controlled variations in drug
response
Genetic Polymorphism
Pharmacokinetic Pharmacodynamic
 Variation in Target Proteins
Variations in target proteins or their pathways can
influence the outcome of pharmacotherapy
Variation in Beta 2-Adrenergic Receptor
Individuals with G16 variant acutely downregulate Beta 2-
receptor in response to agonists
Albuterol is less effective in G16 individuals
First step toward developing an effective pharmacological
strategy for such patients
 IDIOSYNCRATIC EFFECTS

 Not caused by variations in target proteins unusual

aspect of the physiologyor metabolizing enzymes

 Chance interaction between the drug and some

 Hard to predict
Types of Idiosyncratic Responses

 Drug toxicity due to deficient metabolism

 Increased sensitivity to drug effect

 Novel drug effect

 Decreased responsiveness to drug

 Abnormal distribution of material

Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Activity

Effects >100 million worldwide

 Toxic Idiosyncratic Allergic

Dose-related √ √
What drugs All Few Many
Prior exposure √

Mechanism Receptor Receptor Ag-Ab

Effect antagonized Antagonists Antagonists Anti-H