Genetic tests have become a key tool in the diagnosis of diseases and health disorders. Today, it is common for doctors and health professionals to prescribe genetic tests that allow them to confirm or rule out the clinical suspicion they have about their patient, after evaluating their clinical picture and symptoms. However, the new era of medicine ̶ 5P medicine ̶ is revolutionizing the diagnosis, prevention and follow-up of the population, changing the traditional approach based on the use of generalized treatments once the symptoms are detected in the patient, by a predictive approach that allows action before the appearance of clinical complications.
The medicine of the 5Ps
- Preventive: information about the patient must be obtained before the development of the disease to help make decisions that prevent the appearance of the first symptoms.
- Predictive: this information must be used to analyze and calculate the risks of that person developing a disease, to be able to treat it before complications arise.
- Personalized: the patient’s genetics, family history, lifestyle, etc. must be taken into account, in order to adopt a specific approach in each case for diagnosis, therapy and follow-up.
- of Precision: patients with the same disease do not respond in the same way to a specific treatment. Therefore, it is important to know the medicines that are most likely to benefit the patient, saving time and possible side effects of medicines that are probably not beneficial.
- Participatory: the patient must be placed at the center of the healthcare system, educating and providing the appropriate tools so that the patient can participate in the responsibility of taking care of their own health
Genetic information, key in the prevention of health problems.
To be able to predict the risks that a person has to develop any health complication, it is important to know their genetics. From the moment we are born, the unique composition of our DNA defines the risks we will present throughout our lives to develop multiple health problems. Knowing this information early allows us to adapt and apply lifestyle habits, nutritional guidelines or specific medical follow-ups to counter, minimize or control that risk conferred at a genetic level. In fact, it is estimated that 25% of the health complications we suffer are due to genetic causes. Knowing that we cannot modify our DNA, what we can obtain is its information early, identify risk variants and act accordingly.
AboutMe genetic tests are based on the use of a state-of-the-art tool that allows you to know all the genetic information related to the risk of developing nutritional, microbial, premature aging, drug response or hereditary complications. Thus, once we have identified those parameters for which a person presents genetic risk, we can act preventively before associated complications appear. To give an example, if we genetically detect the presence of genetic variants in the DQA1 and DQB1 genes that confer a very high risk of developing celiac disease, and the person already shows symptoms compatible with gluten intolerance, we will recommend the reduction or removal of gluten in the diet in a preventive way in that person, without waiting for the inflammatory state of the intestine to become chronic, the villi of the intestinal cells are damaged and degenerated, and all the secondary complications associated with a permanent intolerance to gluten or celiac disease develop.
If you want to know more details, curiosities and applications of our preventive medicine genetic tests, we recommend that you read our specific posts. And if you have any doubts, we will be happy to help you.
