Medication Management, Including Pharmacogenetic Testing

Medication management is a core component of care at the UTHealth Houston Center for Interventional Psychiatry and is delivered within a measurement-based, individualized treatment model. For patients with treatment-resistant and complex psychiatric illness, medication decisions are guided by careful clinical assessment, prior treatment history, and ongoing evaluation of response and tolerability.

Comprehensive Medication Management

Psychiatric medication management at the Center emphasizes:

• Thorough review of prior medication trials, including dose, duration, and adherence
• Identification of inadequate response, partial response, or treatment-limiting side effects
• Strategic use of augmentation and combination strategies, when evidence supports their use
• Ongoing monitoring of symptoms, side effects, and functional outcomes

Medication management is integrated across all levels of care—outpatient, IOP, PHP, and inpatient—and coordinated closely with psychotherapy and interventional treatments.

Role of Pharmacogenetic Testing

When clinically appropriate, pharmacogenetic testing may be used as an adjunctive tool to support medication selection and dosing. Pharmacogenetic testing evaluates genetic variations that influence:

• Drug metabolism and clearance
• Medication tolerability
• Potential drug–drug interactions

This information may help inform clinical decisions, particularly for patients who have experienced multiple medication failures or significant adverse effects.

Clinical Integration and Limitations

Pharmacogenetic testing is not used in isolation and does not replace clinical judgment. Results are interpreted within the context of:

• The patient’s clinical presentation and psychiatric diagnosis
• Prior treatment response and side-effect history
• Current medications and comorbid medical conditions

Testing is used to support—not dictate—treatment decisions, and patients are counseled regarding the potential benefits and limitations of this approach.

Ongoing Monitoring and Adjustment

Medication regimens are reviewed and adjusted over time based on:

• Measurement-based symptom tracking
• Functional recovery and quality-of-life considerations
• Safety and tolerability
• Integration with interventional treatments and psychotherapy

Through this comprehensive and thoughtful approach, the Center aims to optimize pharmacologic treatment while minimizing unnecessary medication burden and supporting sustained clinical improvement.