Pharmacokinetics: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:DrugPk.png|600px|thumb|right|Diagram of Drug Concentration with key PK characteristics highlighted]] | [[Image:DrugPk.png|600px|thumb|right|Diagram of Drug Concentration with key PK characteristics highlighted]] | ||
[[Pharmacokinetics]] (PK) measures the variations of drug levels in the body with relation to how much compound you take and time since taking the [[Pharmaceutical Drugs|drug]]. | [[Pharmacokinetics]] (PK) measures the variations of drug levels in the body with relation to how much compound you take and time since taking the [[Pharmaceutical Drugs|drug]]. | ||
===Bioavailability (F)=== | ===Bioavailability (F)=== | ||
This is the amount of a drug that actually makes it into your bloodstream as compared to the amount you put in your mouth, inhale, or inject. Since the body has dozens of defense mechanisms to keep foreign compounds out of your blood, simply getting the active compound into your bloodstream is pretty difficult. Drug compounds must pass through the hostile stomach, must avoid setting off an immune response, must avoid being metabolized by the liver and ultimately be absorbed by the small intestine in order to make it into the blood. | This is the amount of a drug that actually makes it into your bloodstream as compared to the amount you put in your mouth, inhale, or inject. Since the body has dozens of defense mechanisms to keep foreign compounds out of your blood, simply getting the active compound into your bloodstream is pretty difficult. Drug compounds must pass through the hostile stomach, must avoid setting off an immune response, must avoid being metabolized by the liver and ultimately be absorbed by the small intestine in order to make it into the blood. | ||