Fwd: AC Historical Post on Half Life of Meds

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In a message dated 15/12/2004 07:28:09 GMT Standard Time, AndyCutler@... writes:

I ran across a good discussion of how kinetics is important in the use of antiseizure medications - it is basically the same discussion as to why they are important in chelation.From: Textbook of Clinical Neurology, 2nd ed., by Goetx, Copyright © 2003, publisher ElsevierOn page 1177"Half-life (t1/2 ) is the time required for the serum concentration of a drug to decrease by 50 percent following complete absorption and distribution of a single dose. A drug's half-lifedetermines the dosing frequency and, as a rule, the dosing interval should not exceed one half-life. Drugs with short half-lives should be administered multiple times per day toprevent large fluctuations in serum concentration that may produce adverse effects or breakthrough seizures. Those with longer half-lives may be administered once daily, whichgenerally improves compliance.".......................Andy . . . .. . . . . . . . . .

I ran across a good discussion of how kinetics is important in the use

of antiseizure medications - it is basically the same discussion as to

why they are important in chelation.

From: Textbook of Clinical Neurology, 2nd ed., by Goetx, Copyright ©

2003, publisher Elsevier

On page 1177

" Half-life (t1/2 ) is the time required for the serum concentration of

a drug to decrease by 50 percent following complete absorption and

distribution of a single dose. A drug's half-life

determines the dosing frequency and, as a rule, the dosing interval

should not exceed one half-life. Drugs with short half-lives should be

administered multiple times per day to

prevent large fluctuations in serum concentration that may produce

adverse effects or breakthrough seizures. Those with longer half-lives

may be administered once daily, which

generally improves compliance. "

........................

Andy . . . .. . . . . . . . . .

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