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Pharmacokinetics
Drug therapy
prevent, cure or control various disease states
Adequate drug doses must be delivered to the
target tissues
drug will result into toxic effects
drug will not lead to desired therapeutic effects.
Parenteral Routes
Used for drugs that are; unstable, poorly absorbed
in the GIT, unconscious patients or in an event that
require a rapid onset of action.
Provides the most control over the actual dose
delivered to the body
Pros
Fast! 15-30 sec for IV
3-5 minutes for IM & SC
100% bioavailability
For drugs not absorbed by
gut or irritant drugs that
cause vomit such as cancer
therapy
IV can deliver continuous
medication.
Ex; Saline
and Morphine
Cons
Addiction
Belonephobia
Infection
from
shared
needle
more threat than enteral
fetal air boluses can occur
need
strict
asepsis
[Asepsis is the state of being
free
from
disease-causing
contaminants]
Intravascular (IV)
Rectal
Useful if the drug induces vomiting if given orally or
if the patient is already vomiting
Bypasses the portal circulation
Prevents the destruction of the drug by intestinal
enzymes and low pH in the stomach
commonly used to administer antiemetic agents
[An antiemetic is
a drug that
against vomiting and nausea]
is
effective
Other Routes
Inhalation
Provides a rapid delivery of a drug across a large
surface area of the mucus membranes of the
respiratory and the pulmonary epithelium
Effect is as rapid as IV injection
For gaseous drugs
Pros
Fastest method, 7-10s for
drug to reach the brain
Cons
Instant gratification which
may leads to addiction
Difficult
in
adjusting
dosage
Difficulties in using inhaler
Intranasal
Through the nose
Eg., desmopressin, salmon calcitonin, cocaine
Intrathecal, intraventricular
Introducing drugs directly into the cerebrospinal
fluid (CSF)
Eg., amphotericin B
Topical
Is used when a local effect of a drug is required
Eg., clotrimazole, atropine
Transdermal
ABSORPTION OF DRUGS
Enteral Routes
Oral
most affordable, variable, common & complicate
Non - invasive
most drugs are absorbed in the GIT & encounter
the liver before distributed into circulation
Sublingual
Placement under the tongue and diffuse into
capillaries to enter circulation
the drug bypasses the intestine & liver & thus
avoids 1st pass metabolism
Active transport
Required ATP & transport
proteins
Can move drug against
concentration gradient
Bioavailability
DRUG ELIMINATION
Drug Distribution
The process by which a drug reversibly leaves the
bloodstream & enters the interstitium (extracellular
fluid) and/or the cells of the tissues.
Affected by the following factors:
Blood Flow
Capillary permeability (capillary structure & blood
brain barrier )
Binding of Drugs to proteins
DRUG METABOLISM
Eliminated by biotransformation and excreted into
bile or urine.
Liver is major site of drug metabolism