Module 2 Flashcards
Define pharmacokinetics
the study of drug movement into the body
Pharmacokinetics is composed of which four basic processes?
ADME -
Absorption
Distribution
Metabolism
Excretion
Describe drug absorption
drug absorption is the movement of the drug from the site of administration into the blood
What determines how quickly the drug effect will occur?
the rate of absorption
What determines how intense the effect of the drug will be?
the amount of drug absorption
List the factors affecting absorption
1) Rate of Dissolution
2) Surface Area
3) Blood Flow
4) Lipid Solubility
5) pH Partitioning
6) Activity of Drug Transport Proteins
Define dissolution
dissolving in solution
Drugs must what before they can be absorbed?
dissolve
Drugs with a fast rate of dissolution will have what?
a faster onset of action than drugs with slow dissolution
What does a larger surface area mean (in relation to drug absorption)?
Faster drug absorption
Which has the greater surface, the stomach or the small intestine?
Small intestine
While the stomach has folds called rugae, the intestine has thousands of finger-like projections called villi. The villi that line the intestine make the surface area very large.
Describe blood flow
- Drug absorption is fastest in areas with high blood flow.
- Areas with a high blood flow maintain a concentration gradient which drives absorption.
- Areas with low blood flow do not maintain as great of a concentration gradient.
Exercise does what to blood flow?
increases blood flow and can increase drug absorption
Blood flow is what in heart failure, severe hypotension, hypothermia and circulatory shock?
decreased
What may be the greatest determinant in the absorption of a drug?
Surface area
Are lipophilic or hydrophilic drug absorbed more rapidly?
Lipophilic
* Lipophilic drugs are able to cross the cell membrane whereas hydrophilic drugs can’t
Describe pH partitioning and the effect it has on drug absorption
- Drug absorption is greater when there’s a difference between the pH at the site of administration and the blood such that the drug is ionized in the blood.
- Remember the effect of pH dependent ionization from Module 1!
Which type of drug transporters increase the absorption of drugs?
Uptake
Which type of drug transporters decrease the absorption of drugs?
Efflux
What are the 8 major routes of drug administration?
1) Oral (PO = per os which is latin for by mouth)
2) Sublingual
3) Transdermal
4) Rectal
5) Intravenous (IV)
6) Subcutaneous (SubQ or SC)
7) Intramuscular (IM)
8) Pulmonary
Routes of administration are often referred to as what?
enteral or parenteral
Describe enteral
routes of administration that involve the gastrointestinal tract
Describe parenteral
routes of administration that do not involve the gastrointestinal tract. In reality though, clinical practitioners consider parenteral to be routes of administration that include injections.
What is the most common method of drug administration?
oral
What are the advantages of oral drug administration?
safety, convenience, economical
What are the disadvantages of oral drug administration?
incomplete and variable absorption
Where would oral drug absorption be the greatest?
intestine
the intestine has a surface area over 200 m squared
What about drugs that are weak acids, wouldn’t they be better absorbed in the stomach?
- Based on the pH effects weakly acidic drugs should be better absorbed in the acidic environment of the stomach because they would unionized.
- However, the surface area of the stomach is small and the stomach is covered with a thick layer of mucous.
- Therefore the rate of drug absorption in the intestine will be greater than the stomach, even if the drug is ionized!
- The bottom line is for most drugs, oral absorption is greatest in the intestine.
Describe the pharmaceutical phase
- The pharmaceutical phase occurs after the patient swallows a tablet.
- It involves the disintegration of the tablet and the dissolution of the drug.
- If the drug does not completely disintegrate or does not go into solution, absorption is reduced.