2 Clinical Pk and Pd Flashcards
what are the 4 steps involved in the pharmacokinetics?
absorption
distribution
metabolism
excretion
what 2 steps make up elimination?
metabolism
excretion
what is the clinical significance of pharmacokinetics?
allows us to tailor dosing to individuals
predicting toxicity
what are the pharmacokinetic properties considered when licensing a drug?
bioavailability half-life drug elimination inter-subject variability drug-drug ionteractions
give some examples of changeable things that affect pharmacokinetics?
Renal function Stress Pyrexia Alcohol Smoking (multiple drugs) Age Sex Exercise Infection Diet Occupational exposure Lactation Liver function Albumin Cardiovascular function Circadian and seasonal variations Immunisation Barometric pressure GI function Pregnancy
what is bioavailability?
Measure of drug absorption where it can be used. Routes of drug administration are referenced as a fraction of i.v. bolus administration bioavailability
what is the bioavailability of a drug given by intravenous bolus?
100% bioavailability
what is bioavailability affected by?
• Absorption - Formulation - Age (luminal changes) - Food (chelation, gastric emptying) - Vomiting/malabsorption (Crohn’s) - Previous surgery (bariatric) • First pass metabolism - metabolism before reaching systemic circulation (gut lumen, gut wall, liver and even lungs)
what is first pass metabolism?
- metabolism before reaching systemic circulation
gut lumen, gut wall, liver and even lungs
what is shown on a plasma concentration-time graph?
the rate of absorption which dictates the visibility of distribution and elimination phases.
if the elimination of a drug is rapid, how will this effect plasma concentration of the drug?
there will be large fluctuations in the plasma drug concentration and dosing will have to be more regular to try and keep the plasma concentration within the therapeutic range
how do modified release preparations of drugs impact the plasma concentrations of drugs?
Modified release preparations help regulate the absorption and therefore excretion of drugs. It makes the plasma concentration more dependent on the rate of absorption and therefore as this is being regulated, it is more slowed down and gradual and therefore there are less fluctuations in the plasma concentrations, with the concentration staying within the therapeutic raneg for longer
How can modified release preparations provide alternative dosing schedules?
As modified release preparations keep the plasma concentrations within the therapeutic range for longer as it reduces the amount of fluctuations by making the concentration more dependent on rate of absorption than elimination. This means that doses can be taken less frequently, and typically adherence is better
what are some of the factors affecting the therapeutic agent distribution?
blood flow capillary structure lipophilicity hydrophilicity protein binding volume of distribution
how does drug-protein binding affect the efficacy of the drug?
as typically only free drugs will be able to afford a response at target receptor site, if there is a lot of drug-protein binding, the drug will not be able to elicit a response and the dosing will have to be increased
when is drug-protein binding clinically important?
if the drug is highly protein bound
if the drug has a narrow therapeutic index
if there is a low volume of distribution
what factors can influence the amount of drug-protein binding?
pregnancy (fluid balance)
renal failure ( reduced excretion of drugs)
hypoalbuminaemia
if a second drug has a higher affinity for a protein than the first drug, how will this affect the plasma concentrations of the first drug?
the second drug will displace the first drug from binding proteins and therefore the plasma concentration of the first drug will increase
what is concentration?
the amount of drug per volume (mg/L)
what is the volume of distribution?
volume of distribution = dose / [drug]plasma
Is a proportionality factor of how much of the given drug remained in the plasma and how much is sequestered by body tissue
a smaller apparent Vd suggests drug confined to plasma and extracellular fluid a larger apparent Vd suggests drug is distributed throughout tissues
what qualities of a therapeutic agent affect its metabolism?
Size
lipophilicity
hydrophobicity
structural complexity
what enzymes are involved in the majority of phase I catalysed metabolic reactions?
CYP 450
where are cytochrome P450 enzymes predominantly found?
in the smooth ER and mitochondria of hepatocytes
what are some of the common CYP inducers?
carbamazepine phenytoin rifampicin cigarette smoke st johns wart ethanol / alcohol
what are some of the common CYP enzyme inhibitors
amiodarone grapefruit juice trimethoprim omeprazole COCP verapamil
why is grapefruit juice not advised in patients on statins?
As grapefruit juice is an inhibitor of CYP 3A4. therefore the plasma concentrations of statins would increase drastically if these patients drink grapefruit juice. This would cause statin overdose and put patients at an increased risk of rhabdomyolysis
carbamazepine has self induced metabolism. what does this mean?
carbamazepine is a substrate for CYP 3A4 and an inducer. This means that the dose of carbamazepine will have to be increased gradually as it induces its own metabolism
how are fluid drugs eliminated?
Primarily via the kidney in urine (~20% of systemic blood flow)
Other possible routes:
sweat, tears, genital secretions, saliva, breast milk
how are solid drugs eliminated?
faeces and hair
how are gaseous drugs eliminated?
as volatile compounds on exhalation