Pharmacogenetics and anaesthetic drugs: Implications for perioperative practice

• Pharmacogenetic variations in anaesthetic drugs affect enzymes, transport proteins and drug receptors.
• Genotyping may provide more clues as to aetiology of conditions related to usage of anaesthetic drugs e.g. propofol infusion syndrome.
• Improved and more economical molecular technology will lead to increase in quantity of pharmacogenetic data.

Pharmacogenetics seeks to elucidate the variations in individual's genetic sequences in order to better understand the differences seen in pharmacokinetics, drug metabolism, and efficacy between patients. This area of research is rapidly accelerating, aided by the use of novel and more economical molecular technologies. A substantial evidence base is being generated with the hopes that in the future it may be used to generate personalised treatment regimens in order to improve patient comfort and safety and reduce incidences of morbidity and mortality. Anaesthetics is an area of particular interest in this field, with previous research leading to better informed practice, specifically with regards to pseudocholinesterase deficiency and malignant hyperthermia. In this review, recent pharmacogenetic data pertaining to anaesthetic drugs will be presented and possible future applications and implications for practice will be discussed.