Cholinergic Receptor Nicotinic Alpha 5 Subunit
CHRNA5 codes for part of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in the brain. The rs16969968 variant changes the receptor's response to nicotine and is one of the strongest known genetic predictors of heavy smoking and lung cancer risk. It also modifies how well people quit on varenicline or bupropion versus nicotine replacement alone.
Gene2Rx reports your CHRNA5 genotype across 2 named alleles, built from 1 variant curated by PharmVar.
CHRNA5 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 CHRNA5 activity is normal, decreased, or absent.
PharmVar is the international registry that curates these names. Gene2Rx tests every variant needed to call each cataloged CHRNA5 allele.
Gene2Rx covers 1 medication with published pharmacogenetic guidance for CHRNA5, drawn from CPIC and FDA sources. Each drug links to its full pharmacogenetics page.
This page lists drugs affected by CHRNA5. 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 CHRNA5 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.