Chronic Anticholinergic Toxicity Discovered in a Pharmacogenomics, Polypharmacy Patient

Abstract

Objective: To report a case of chronic anticholinergic toxicity in a referred, pharmacogenomics (PGx), polypharmacy patient.

Summary: The patient is a 67-year-old male who was referred to the polypharmacy service for a PGx consult. This patient has had episodic fever of unknown origin, general cutaneous vasodilation, tremors, jerks, and brain fogginess which have been unexplained. He has seen specialists from infectious disease, rheumatology, endocrinology, and neurology with no contributory condition causing these symptoms, so he was referred for PGx testing and evaluation by the polypharmacy pharmacist.

Conclusion: This case demonstrates the importance of pharmacist-patient consultations and how a PGx consult may expose polypharmacy medicationrelated problems of greater significance than the PGx indication for the consult. In addition, the case demonstrates positive interprofessional collaboration between pharmacists and physicians to more effectively solve complex medication-related problems that may not be easily diagnosed through objective lab or diagnostic testing.