Principles of pharmacokinetics

The topic of principles of pharmacokinetics will be explored through the fundamental concepts of pharmacokinetics, focusing on the ADME processes, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. We will explain how each process affects drug onset, intensity, duration, and dosing for optimal efficacy with minimal toxicity. The discussion will include key pharmacokinetic parameters, factors influencing drug movement, and considerations for special populations and different administration routes. This overview will equip you to understand how pharmacokinetics inform safe and effective drug therapy. Pharmacokinetics is key to understanding how drugs move through the body, focusing on four processes abbreviated as ADME, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. Absorption is entry into circulation, distribution is drug spread. Metabolism is chemical transformation often in the liver, and excretion removes drugs and metabolites, mainly via kidneys or bile. These processes determine a drug's onset, intensity and duration. The aim is to optimize dosing for maximum efficacy with minimal toxicity. Absorption mainly occurs across barriers like the gastrointestinal tract when drugs are given orally. Factors influencing absorption include drug solubility, formulation, food, gastric emptying, and GI tract health. Bioavailability is the fraction of drug reaching systemic circulation unchanged. Absolute bioavailability compares plasma levels