Pharmacokinetics

Definition

Pharmacokinetics is the study of how drugs move through the body over time, encompassing absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.

Scientific / Technical Definition

Pharmacokinetics is a branch of pharmacology concerned with the movement of medications within the body, focusing on the processes of absorption, distribution, biotransformation (metabolism), and excretion. It examines the time course of drug concentrations in plasma and tissues and provides crucial insights for determining dosing regimens.

Benefits

• Optimizes drug dosing to achieve effective therapeutic levels.
• Helps to minimize side effects and enhance drug safety.
• Essential for understanding drug interactions and effects on different populations such as pregnant women.

Examples

• The way a painkiller is absorbed and metabolized during pregnancy.
• Monitoring antibiotic levels in the body to avoid toxicity.

Additional Information

• Importance: Pharmacokinetics is particularly important during pregnancy and lactation as it helps in assessing how physiological changes affect drug exposure, ensuring safety for both mother and child.

Related Terms

• Metabolism

References

• An Overview of Pharmacokinetics
• The Importance of Pharmacokinetics in Drug Therapy for Pregnant Women