Pharmacokinetics

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary terms and concepts related to pharmacokinetics, including how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted in the body.

Pharmacokinetics

The study of how drugs move through the body, including processes of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.

Absorption

The process of a drug moving from its site of administration into the bloodstream.

Distribution

The movement of a drug from the bloodstream to the interstitial space and into cells.

Metabolism

The chemical alteration of a drug structure, primarily occurring in the liver.

Excretion

The process of eliminating drugs from the body, primarily through the kidneys.

P-Glycoprotein

A multidrug transporter protein that can transport a variety of drugs out of cells.

First-Pass Effect

The rapid inactivation of some oral drugs as they pass through the liver after absorption.

Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB)

A selective barrier that prevents certain substances from entering the brain from the bloodstream.

Therapeutic Range

The range of drug concentration in the plasma between the minimum effective concentration and the toxic concentration.

Half-Life

The time required for the plasma concentration of a drug to decrease by half.

Enteric-Coated Preparations

Oral formulations designed to release their contents in the small intestine rather than the stomach.

Sustained-Release Preparations

Formulations that release drug contents slowly to prolong the therapeutic effect.

Renal Drug Excretion

The process of drug elimination through the kidneys, involving glomerular filtration, reabsorption, and secretion.

Competition Between Drugs

The phenomenon where multiple drugs compete for the same metabolic pathways or excretion processes.

Loading Dose

A higher initial dose of a drug given to quickly achieve therapeutic plasma levels.