KATP channel pharmacogenomics:: From bench to bedside

Inheritance plays a significant role in defining drug response and toxicity. Advances in molecular pharmacology and modern genomics emphasize genetic variation in dictating inter-individual pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. A case in point is the homeostatic ATP-sensitive potassium (K-ATP) channel, an established drug target that adjusts membrane excitability to match cellular energetic demand. There is an increased recognition that genetic variability of the K-ATP channel impacts therapeutic decisionmaking in human disease.