Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffYour doctor may use cytochrome P450 tests (CYP450 tests) to help determine which antidepressant may be effective for you. Medications affect each individual differently because of inherited (genetic) traits. By checking your DNA for certain gene variations, cytochrome P450 tests can offer clues about how your body may respond to a particular antidepressant.
Cytochrome P450 tests are also being used to determine whether certain cancer medications are likely to be effective.
Cytochrome P450 tests aren't widely used yet. But cytochrome P450 tests and other genetic tests (genotyping tests) are becoming more common as doctors look for new ways to treat depression and other conditions.
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- Evaluation of genomic applications in practice and prevention (EGAPP) working group. Recommendations from the EGAPP Working Group: Testing for cytochrome P450 polymorphisms in adults with nonpsychotic depression treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Genetics in Medicine. 2007;9:819.

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