Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 2
ALDH2 clears acetaldehyde, the toxic metabolite produced when your body breaks down alcohol. The ALDH2*2 variant (rs671) produces an almost completely inactive enzyme, and is present in about 30 to 50 percent of people of East Asian descent. Carriers experience the classic 'Asian flush' — facial flushing, rapid heartbeat, and nausea — even after small amounts of alcohol because acetaldehyde builds up faster than they can clear it.
Gene2Rx reports your ALDH2 genotype across 2 named alleles, built from 1 variant curated by PharmVar.
ALDH2 alleles are named by the underlying DNA variant rather than a star number — for example c.61C>T describes a single base change at position 61 of the coding sequence.
You inherit one allele from each parent, and the pair determines whether your ALDH2 activity is normal, decreased, or absent.
PharmVar is the international registry that curates these names. Gene2Rx tests every variant needed to call each cataloged ALDH2 allele.
Gene2Rx covers 1 medication with published pharmacogenetic guidance for ALDH2, drawn from CPIC and FDA sources. Each drug links to its full pharmacogenetics page.
This page lists drugs affected by ALDH2. A Gene2Rx report tells you which metabolizer group you fall into, and what that means for every medication on this list.
Get your report Look up a medicationInformational only, not medical advice. The presence of a ALDH2 pharmacogenetic guideline does not mean every patient needs to change their dose. Never start, stop, or change a medication without talking to your prescribing clinician.