What is Cytochrome P450 2C19 Genotype?
CYP2C19 is a hepatic cytochrome P450 isoenzyme encoded on chromosome 10q23.33 that metabolises roughly 10% of clinically used drugs, including the prodrug clopidogrel. Clopidogrel requires two-step bioactivation, with CYP2C19-mediated oxidation a rate-limiting step; the active thiol metabolite then irreversibly inhibits the platelet P2Y12 ADP receptor. Loss-of-function alleles (*2, *3, and others) reduce enzyme activity, while gain-of-function alleles (*17) increase it. An individual's diplotype — the pair of inherited alleles — determines their metaboliser phenotype, which in turn governs the magnitude and reliability of platelet inhibition achieved on standard clopidogrel doses.