PERSONALIZED GENOMIC MEDICINE

Genetics is the area of biology devoted to the study of the commencement of the life and evolution of the species, and explains how biological inheritance is transmitted from generation to generation.

All the genetic information and instructions belonging to an individual are contained in his or her deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA. DNA is made up of units of information called genes, which are linked to the development of a physiological function.

The human genome contains a total of 25,000 genes. Each of these genes has a specific sequence which enables it to perform its biological function; therefore, variations in the genetic sequence (polymorphisms or mutations) frequently alter the function of these genes, and are related to the development of many diseases. These mutations are transmitted to family offspring, perpetuating the diseases from generation to generation.

Knowledge of the sequence of the human genome has revolutionized the field of medicine, as it enables the detection of modifications in the sequences of certain genes which are responsible for many diseases, and has made possible the development of a Genomic Medicine, which identifies the genetic predisposition of each individual to contracting common diseases such as diabetes mellitus, asthma, vascular diseases (myocardial infarction, ictus, atherosclerosis), infectious diseases or cancer, among many others. In this way, Genomic Medicine makes possible a more precise, personalized, preventive attention, directed toward the prevention or delaying of the appearance or development of these diseases, and thus to reduce their associated complications.

Genomic Medicine also studies Pharmacogenetics, this being the relationship between the genetic pattern of each individual and their tolerance to, and the effect of, many drugs, enabling the development of a much more precise, less costly treatment.

At birth, each person’s genome predisposes them to suffering certain diseases (genetic risk factors). However, this does not necessarily mean that he or she will develop them if, prior to their appearance, the environmental, emotional and behavioral factors that precipitate them are brought under control.

Executives represent a high-risk group due to the type of activity they perform, and the pressure to which they are subjected. Their emotional stability and their mental balance are key to their success and denote the efficacy of their management.

Executives’ professional and human faculties are threatened by the everyday pressure of their activity: stress, risk decision-making, nutritional imbalance, labor disputes; disruptions of the circadian rhythm due to intercontinental flights, which cause hormonal disturbances and sleep disorders; inattention to the family circle, etc. This situation of permanent psychological pressure makes the executive a high-risk subject for cardiovascular disorders, hypertension, cerebral accidents, depression, anxiety, insomnia, gastroenteropathy, immune deficits and psychosomatic disorders.