to the public health care system over the become an important tool for reducing next 20 years. The use of pharmacogenetics morbidity and mortality and has the to personalize medicine by reducing potential to reduce health care costs. – adverse drug reactions, for instance will – Of the ten leading causes of death in lifestyle choices such as smoking and Kansas, at least seven are known to have a environmental exposures, along with an genetic component. For instance, genetic underlying genetic susceptibility. Genetic factors are important in the development of factors account for about 30 percent of the cardiovascular disease. As the leading cause risk for developing diabetes, which can lead of death in and the , heart disease is to significant disability including blindness, estimated to incur annual health care costs heart disease, kidney failure and of nearly $300 billion nationwide. About 10 amputation. Although more knowledge is percent of all cancers result from an still needed in the area of infectious inherited susceptibility - and multiple disease, genetically mediated host genetic predisposition syndromes have susceptibility is an important factor in a already been described for breast, ovarian, person’s response to infectious organisms. colorectal, and prostate cancer. Numerous Several genes for Alzheimer’s disease, the others - including pancreatic, bladder and most common cause of dementia in older lung cancers - are currently under individuals, have now been discovered. investigation. Stroke, a complex condition Finally, genetic diseases such as polycystic involving a combination of genetic and kidney disease and Alport syndrome environmental factors, is a leading cause of contribute to illness and deaths from renal long-term disability today. Respiratory failure. disease is the result of a number of factors: Leading Causes of Among Kansans 1. Heart Disease 2. Malignant Neoplasms (Cancer) 3. Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease 4. Cerebrovascular Disease (Stroke) 5. Unintentional Injuries 6. Alzheimer’s Disease 7. Pneumonia and Influenza 8. Diabetes Mellitus 9. Nephritis, Nephrotic Syndrome and Nephrosis (Kidney Disease) 10. Suicide *KS Vital Statistics Data for Year 2008(3)
to the public health care system over the next 20 years. The use of pharmacogenetics to personalize medicine – by reducing adverse drug reactions, for instance – will become an important tool for reducing morbidity and mortality and has the potential to reduce health care costs. Leading Causes of Among Kansans 1. Heart Disease 2. Malignant Neoplasms (Cancer) 3. Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease 4. Cerebrovascular Disease (Stroke) 5. Unintentional Injuries 6. Alzheimer’s Disease 7. Pneumonia and Influenza 8. Diabetes Mellitus 9. Nephritis, Nephrotic Syndrome and Nephrosis (Kidney Disease) 10. Suicide *KS Vital Statistics Data for Year 2008(3) Of the ten leading causes of death in Kansas, at least seven are known to have a genetic component. For instance, genetic factors are important in the development of cardiovascular disease. As the leading cause of death in and the , heart disease is estimated to incur annual health care costs of nearly $300 billion nationwide. About 10 percent of all cancers result from an inherited susceptibility - and multiple genetic predisposition syndromes have already been described for breast, ovarian, colorectal, and prostate cancer. Numerous others - including pancreatic, bladder and lung cancers - are currently under investigation. Stroke, a complex condition involving a combination of genetic and environmental factors, is a leading cause of long-term disability today. Respiratory disease is the result of a number of factors: lifestyle choices such as smoking and environmental exposures, along with an underlying genetic susceptibility. Genetic factors account for about 30 percent of the risk for developing diabetes, which can lead to significant disability including blindness, heart disease, kidney failure and amputation. Although more knowledge is still needed in the area of infectious disease, genetically mediated host susceptibility is an important factor in a person’s response to infectious organisms. Several genes for Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia in older individuals, have now been discovered. Finally, genetic diseases such as polycystic kidney disease and Alport syndrome contribute to illness and deaths from renal failure.