Pharmacokinetics: Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

Pharmacokinetics is an important process typified by several activities including absorption, metabolism, distribution, and excretion of chemical compounds. Understanding drug pharmacokinetics is particularly beneficial since it helps researchers and clinicians determine the drug dosage that is safe and effective in the treatment of certain conditions. Various factors including the age of a person have the potential to influence the pharmacokinetics of drugs. The absorption of drugs is significantly lower in older persons than younger people. The decreased absorption rate is attributed to the loss of mucosal intestinal surface, a reduction in gastric acidity and a decrease in the flow of blood to the gastrointestinal organs.