toxicology TDM Flashcards
Main functions of a clinical toxicology lab
- therapeutic drug monitoring ( TDM)
- ID of drugs in acute intoxication
- Urine testing for drugs of abuse or performance enhancers
- testing for environmental or occupational exposure
Therapeutic drug monitoring
analysis, assessment, and evaluation of circulating concentrations of drugs in Serum,
Plasma, or Whole blood
Main purposes of TDM
ensure drug dosage is within the Therapeutic Range - The range that produces the
maximum therapeutic benefit
identify when the drug is outside of the therapeutic range
•Too low - drug inefficiency
•Too high - toxicity
Not used for all drugs
Indications for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM)
When is it necessary?
- Drugs with low therapeutic index (ie. Narrow range between therapeutic and toxic levels)
- Start or change in therapy
- Neonates/ infants due to maturing renal and hepatic functions
- During illness
- When a drug is unexpectedly ineffective or toxic
- When a new drug is added due to possible drug interactions
Factors to consider in TDM
- Route of administration ( ex. orally, muscular injection)
- Rate of absorption
- Distribution of the drug within in the body
- Metabolism ( liver)
- Rate of elimination (kidney)
protein bound vs free drug
Only free drug can give a biologic response
Not protien bound drug
Pharmacodynamics
study of the biochemical and physiological effects of drugs
and the mechanisms of their actions
site of action
site at which a drug acts to initiate a specific biological effect
Drug action is usually mediated through receptors such as cellular enzymes and
structural or transport proteins
Pharmacokinetics definition & how its used
activity or fate of drugs in the body over a period of time.
•Takes into account all of the factors that determine concentration of a serum drug
level (absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion).
•Assists the health care provider in establishing or modifying a dosage regimen for
each patient.
•Uses mathematical modelling to determine the drug concentration in circulation
Drug concentrations will swing back and forth between a maximum (peak) and minimum
(trough) concentration level.
Goal:
•To get the peak and trough levels within the therapeutic range.
•To make sure the peak is not in the toxic range
steady state
intake and elimination of a drug are in equilibrium
5 to 7 doses of a drug are usually required to achieve a steady state
factors affecting blood levels of a drug physiologial & non
Physiological Factors: •Absorption into blood (IV, IM, orally) •Distribution in body tissues •Metabolism by liver •Excretion by the kidney •Maturation or aging •Organ disease (liver & kidney esp.) •Diurnal variation (daily fluctuations) •Drug interactions
Non-physiological Factors:
•Drug formulation
•Medication Errors
•Patient compliance
during drug therapy what is affected by a patients history
A- Absorption
D- Distribution
M-Metabolism
E- Excretion
routes of administration
intravenous **
-most direct & effective delivery to sites of action
intramuscular (IM) injection
Subcutaneous (SC) injection
Transcutaneous
- absorbed through skin
- ex. transdermal patch
rectal delivery
- ex. suppository
- used in infants or when oral delivery is not possible
Oral administration **
- Most common method
- Least invasive
Drug Absorption for oral drugs; efficiency of absorption from GI tract depends on:
efficiency of absorption from GI tract depends on:
•Dissociation from its administered form
•Solubility in gastrointestinal fluids
•Diffusion across gastrointestinal membranes
drug absorption ( Dissolution)
- Tablets and capsules must dissolve before being absorbed
* Liquid solutions absorbed more rapidly
drug absorption ( solubility )
- Weak acids are absorbed well in stomach (due to gastric acidity)
- Weak bases best absorbed in intestine (pH is more alkaline)
drug absorption (Diffusion)
Absorption occurs in predictable manner in healthy people
•Absorption rates can be altered by changes in:
•Intestinal mobility
•pH
•Inflammation
•Presence of food or other drugs
Absorption rates can also be affected by:
•Age
•Pregnancy
•Pathologic conditions
drug bioavailability
The bioavailability is the fraction of a drug dose that is absorbed into the
systemic circulation
**In order to be useful, a drug’s bioavailability needs to be greater than 70%