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Article
November 1983

Clinical Pharmacokinetics: A Modern Approach to Individualized Drug Therapy

Arch Intern Med. 1983;143(11):2051. doi:10.1001/archinte.1983.00350110029005

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Abstract

There is an awesome array of drugs, many of which have potent effects and side effects. Intelligent use of these agents requires a basic understanding of pharmacokinetic principles, since the response to an agent may be affected by a variety of factors, including adsorption, distribution, and clearance. The interpretation and use of plasma-drug concentrations has become an important part of practical therapeutics. The need to adjust dosage because of disease states, especially those involving the liver and kidneys, and the effect of drug-drug interactions on plasma levels are critical to therapeutic decision making. Unfortunately, most medical schools do not teach students the practical aspects of clinical pharmacokinetics, and even the most current textbooks fail to stress these concepts. However, most pharmacology textbooks present too much, especially mathematical data, for the clinician to comfortably digest. Wartak, in Clinical Pharmacokinetics, has provided a clear presentation of basic pharmacokinetic principles that should prove

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