Week 5

Question 1

What are single arms trials and what are their limitations?

Answer 1

Participants are enrolled, receive the intervention and practitioners observe the outcome
- There is no control outcome so the results cannot be compared

Question 2

What are the different routes of administration?

Answer 2

Intravenous

• Continuous infusion
• Intermittent bolus

Oral

• Immediate release
• Slow release

Question 3

What are the most important PK properties needed to make a dosing schedule?

Answer 3

Clearance and volume of distribution

After this, half life can be calculated and a dosing regimen can be created

Question 4

What is the loading dose and when are they most useful? (3)

Answer 4

An initial higher dose of a drug that may be given at the beginning of a course treatment before dropping down to a lower maintenance dose
- Most useful for drugs that are eliminated from the body slowly so steady state can be reached quicker

Question 5

How do drugs that have different half lives have an effect on steady state when given by intermittent bolus?

Answer 5

When dosing interval is longer than the half
Drug reaches steady state very quickly

When drug dose is given at the half life
Takes longer to get to steady state- around 5 half lives

Short dosing interval and long half life
Fluctuations are much smaller and it takes a while to get to steady state