Peter Lin, MD

Biography

Dr. Peter Lin started his studies in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto.
Midway through, he moved over to the Faculty of Medicine where he completed his studies and with his
analytic mindset became involved with research. Over the years it became apparent that there was a wide
chasm between research and clinical practice and hence, he moved into clinical practice and eventually into
teaching in order to help bridge this gap.

He has served as the medical director at the University of Toronto’s Health and Wellness Centre at
Scarborough for seven years. Currently, he is the Director of Primary Care Initiatives at the Canadian
Heart Research Centre. He continues to be a lecturer and speaker with two busy family practices in
Toronto. His interests are varied and he has given over 100 lectures in 2004 on various topics such as:

Medical Topics
Drug interactions – CYP P450
Drug Interactions – Cardiology
Drug Interactions – Psychiatry
Drug Interactions – Oncology
Drug Interactions – Elderly
Herb-drug Interactions
Global Vascular Risk assessment
Metabolic Syndrome –Epidemic
The inner workings of coumadin
H.pylori and Peptic ulcer Disease Psychiatry - Anxiety Vascular Dementia
GERD (heartburn) Osteoporosis Atherothrombosis
Proton Pump Inhibitor Peripheral Arterial Disease Asthma
PPI Metabolism Migraine Drug Safety Issues
Colorectal Cancer Screening Hypertension Vascular Protection
Antibiotic Resistance Cholesterol Therapy
Statistics for you and me Obesity – The Epidemic
Diabetes – CDA Guidelines Vertigo
Psychiatry - Depression Alzheimer’s Disease

Other Topics
Management Challenges and solutions – Getting your employees motivated
Pharmacists and Physician Relationships – Improving on the status quo
Electronic Medical Records and its Revolution – Healthcare in the new millennium

Dr. Lin’s audience has varied from the public to students and to specialists. In an effort to raise the
knowledge base of the general population, Dr. Lin has spoken at public forums directly to the public. He is
also a guest consultant on the radio station CFRB 1010 in Toronto on the Health Show. He has also
appeared on Discovery Digital channel and BT (Breakfast Television). He also sits on numerous advisory
boards in an effort to make sure that the messages are clearly delivered to each and every audience.

In terms of journals, he has been guest editor for magazines such as Focus on Cardiology. He is a
consultant for Perspectives in Cardiology, and is on of the editorial board for The Canadian Alzheimer
Disease Review. He continues to write a series of short commentaries explaining many of the recent
cardiovascular trials in an effort to allow the practicing physicians to implement the results of the trials.

His goal is to take the knowledge out of the research journals and put it back into the hands of the of the
people who can then apply this knowledge on a daily basis. To this end, Dr. Lin’s strongest asset is his
ability to communicate complex information in a clear and palatable way.

Cardiac Update ~ March 2, 2007 ~ Marriott Chateau Champlain Hotel, Montréal, Québec Page 6 of 75
 What Every Physician Needs to Know About Drug Interaction
Peter Lin, MD

Abstract

As more medications are developed and proven to be beneficial in treating a variety of

illnesses, the number of prescriptions taken by patients will invariably increase. This
leads to polypharmacy and increased risk of drug interactions.

Drug interactions can be classified as pharmacodynamic or pharmacokinetic interactions.

Pharmacodynamic interactions deal with the direct action of the medications.
Pharmacokinetic interactions deal with the absorption, distribution, metabolism and
elimination of the medication. The cytochrome P450 system affects the metabolism of
many medications and hence is important for the understanding drug interactions
mechanisms.

Medications can be classified as substrates of the enzyme, or inducers or inhibitors of the

enzyme. Depending on its action, it can affect the blood levels of other medications
using that same enzyme. Inhibitors for example, will block the enzyme and not allow
any other drug to be processed. These other drugs will accumulate until they hit their
toxic level and then cause the side effects which can be lethal in some cases.

By understanding these interactions, one can avoid future interactions from occurring or
at least make adjustments in the medication to avoid the interaction. By understanding
the mechanisms behind the interaction, future potentially lethal combinations can be
avoided.

In the future, half of the physician’s time will be spent managing the disease process and
the other will be to manage all the medications for the patient.

Cardiac Update ~ March 2, 2007 ~ Marriott Chateau Champlain Hotel, Montréal, Québec Page 7 of 75
What Every Physician Needs to Know About Drug
Interaction ~ Peter Lin, MD

Drug Cytochrome P450

Competition
Interactions Substrate

Peter Lin MD CCFP

Director Primary Care Initiatives Inducers 
Canadian Heart Research Centre
Inhibitors 
Cupp MJ, Tracy TS. Am Fam Phys 1998;57:107-16

http://medicine.iupui.edu/flockhart/ http://medicine.iupui.edu/flockhart/

Cardiac Update ~ March 2, 2007 ~ Marriott Chateau Champlain Hotel, Montréal, Québec Page 8 of 75
What Every Physician Needs to Know About Drug
Interaction ~ Peter Lin, MD

http://medicine.iupui.edu/flockhart/ http://medicine.iupui.edu/flockhart/

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/medeff/advisories-avis/prof/2007/index_e.html

Cardiac Update ~ March 2, 2007 ~ Marriott Chateau Champlain Hotel, Montréal, Québec Page 9 of 75