How
Drugs Move through the Body
The
effect of a drug on the body depends on a number of processes
that the drug undergoes as it moves through the body. All
these processes together are known as pharmacokinetics (literally,
"motion of the drug"). First in these processes
is the administration of the drug after which it must be absorbed
into the bloodstream. From the bloodstream, the drug is distributed
throughout the body to various tissues and organs. As the
drug is metabolized, or broken down and used by the body,
it goes through chemical changes that produce metabolites,
or altered forms of the drug, most of which have no effect
on the body. Finally, the drug and its metabolites are eliminated
from the body.
|
