Pharmacokinetics (Week 2)

Question 1

what is pharmacokinetics?

Answer 1

relates to how a drug gets to its target.

Question 2

what are the 4 key processes of pharmacokinetics?

Answer 2

(ADME)
1. Absorption
2. Distribution
3. Metabolism
4. Elimination

Question 3

what are the routes of administration?

Answer 3

enteral (thru the GI tract; i.e., oral, rectal)
parenteral (not thru GI tract; i.e., injection, inhalation, topical, mucosal, sublingual)

Question 4

what are the requirements for oral administration?

Answer 4

water-soluble resistant to stomach and liver enzymes (first-pass metabolism), and at least partially lipid soluble.

Question 5

what is cMAX?

Answer 5

Highest level of concentration in
blood

Question 6

what is bioavailability?

Answer 6

% of drug in the system.

Question 7

what occurs in the process of distribution?

Answer 7

Once in the bloodstream, the drug travels throughout the body until it reaches its target (receptor)

Question 8

what is the fenestra?

Answer 8

the place where drugs exit capillaries through small pores

Question 9

what is the blood-brain barrier?

Answer 9

Combination of “tight junctions” of capillary
endothelial cells (no fenestra) and “astrocytic sheath”

Question 10

what is a drug half life?

Answer 10

the time it takes for the amount of a drug’s active substance in your body to reduce by half

Question 11

what is steady state concentration?

Answer 11

Consistent level of drug in
body achieved by repeated,
regular-interval dosing

Question 12

what is drug tolerance?

Answer 12

A progressive decline in response with
repeated usage of a drug

Question 13

what is drug dependence?

Answer 13

Administration of drug is required to avoid
withdrawal symptoms

Question 14

Drugs administered “sublingually” (under the tongue) and drugs administered orally are absorbed mostly in the ____________ and ____________, respectively.

Answer 14

mouth; small intestine

Question 15

Which route of administration is characterized as “enteral”?

Answer 15

oral

Question 16

What drug attributes decrease the likelihood of drug absorption?

Answer 16

high water solubility, large size, low lipid solubility.

Question 17

What are the two main difference between capillaries in the periphery and capillaries in the brain?

Answer 17

Capillaries in the brain have tighter junctions and are surrounded by membranes of astrocyte cells

Question 18

Which is the most dangerous mode of drug administration?

Answer 18

intravenous

Question 19

The degradation of drugs by enzymes present in the gastrointestinal tract and liver is known as

Answer 19

first-pass metabolism.

Question 20

Most drugs are excreted via the

Answer 20

kidneys

Question 21

The time for the plasma level of a drug to fall by 50% is called the

Answer 21

elimination half life.

Question 22

The “steady-state” concentration of a drug (the stable level achieved in blood with repeated, regular dosing) is

Answer 22

achieved when the amount of drug administered per until time equals the amount eliminated per unit time

Question 23

The ability of liver enzymes to degrade a drug more efficiently in the continued presence of the drug is termed

Answer 23

metabolic tolerance.