Genetic Susceptibility to Type 2 Diabetes and Implications for Therapy

Prevalence of type 2 diabetes is increasing rapidly around globe and effecting not only health of individuals but also socially and economically. It is a multi-factorial, polygenic metabolic disorder involving complex interaction of both genetic and environmental factors and it is characterized by increased glucose level in blood due to deficiency in insulin secretion. Recent advent of genome-wide association studies has improved the knowledge of genetic factors involved in disease progression, pathogenesis and paving way to better understand the complex pathways. These genetic variants change the drug response in patients thus making it difficult to maintain optimal glycemic levels. The genome-wide association studies are providing great insight into pharmacogenomics by revealing various new variants that effect drug response and development of personalized medication in future.