The process by which the drug becomes a solution so that it can cross the biologic membrane. The two pharmaceutic phases are disintegration and dissolution.

the process of drug movement to achieve drug action. The four process are absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.

the movement of drug particles from the GI tract to body fluids by passive absorption, active absorption, or pinocytosis.

type of absorption that occurs mostly by diffusion (movement from higher concentration to lower concentration)

type of absorption that requires a carrier such as an enzyme or protein to move the drug against the concentration gradient

a process by which cells carry a drug across their membrane by engulfing the drug particles

a subcategory of absorption. It is the percentage of the administered drug dose that reaches the systematic circulation.

the process by which the drug becomes available to the body fluids and body tissues.

a drug’s efficiency may be affected by the degree to which it binds to the proteins within blood plasma.

drugs not bound to a protein

the time it takes for one half of the drug concentration to be eliminated. Metabolism and elimination affect the half-life of a drug.

The body’s excretion of drugs through the kidneys (urine, main route), bile feces, lungs, saliva, sweat, and breast milk.

test that compares the level of creatinine in the urine with the level of creatinine in the blood.

the study of the way drugs affect he body.

the time it takes to reach the minimum effective concentration (MEC) after a drug is administered.

the length of time the drug has a pharmacologic effect.

evaluates three parameters of drug action: the onset of drug action, peak action, and duration of action.

(1) kinase-linked receptors, (2) ligand-gated ion channels, (3) G protein-coupled receptor systems, and (4) nuclear receptors.

Drugs that produce a response

Drugs that affect various sites

Drugs that affect various receptors

estimates the margin of safety of a drug through the use of a ratio that measures the effective (therapeutic) dose in 50% of people and the lethal dose in 50% of people.

the level of drug between minimum effective concentration in the plasma for obtaining desired drug action and the minimum toxic concentration.

the highest plasma concentration of drug at a specific time.

the lowest plasma concentration of a drug, and it measures the rate at which the drug is eliminated.

a large initial dose of a drug given to achieve a rapid minimum effective concentration in the plasma.

physiologic effects not related to desired drug effects.

a range of untoward effects of drugs that cause mild to severe side effects.

can be identified by monitoring the plasma therapeutic range of the drug.

the scientific discipline studying how the effect of a drug action varies from a predicted drug response because of genetic factors or hereditary influence.

a decreased responsiveness over the course of therapy.

a rapid decrease in response to the drug.

a psychological benefit from a compound that may not have the chemical structure of a drug effect.