Venlafaxine Pharmacogenetics: a Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Antidepressant response could be from 42 to 50% genetically determined. Venlafaxine (VEN) was the sixth most-prescribed antidepressant in the USA in 2017. Therefore, we reviewed studies which focused on the pharmacogenetics of VEN and found that there is a lack of guidelines for pharmacogenetic testing for VEN. Within investigated genetic polymorphisms, few of them can be indicated as potential predictors of VEN efficacy and tolerance. However, additional pharmacogenetic studies of VEN should be performed to reproduce already obtained results or explain contradictory ones. The individualization of pharmacotherapy is a key issue in providing patients with the highest possible quality of treatment, therefore pharmacogenetic studies should be one of the components of therapy optimization.

Keywords::

• antidepressants
• CYP2D6
• depression
• HTTLPR
• pharmacogenetics
• polymorphism
• venlafaxine

Authors’ contributions

J Suwała, M Machowska and A Wiela-Hojeńska contributed in the conception and design of the work, acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data for the work; drafting the work and revising it critically for important intellectual content; final approval of the version to be published; and agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.