title: Open-loop stochastic control of pharmacokinetic systems: a new method for design of dosing regimens.
abstract: On the basis stochastic control techniques, an algorithm for the design of dosing regimens is developed. The essence of the method relies on a constrained model for the population and on a first-order approximation in the evaluation of the performance cost function. Since it does not require detailed information on the probability distribution of the model parameters, the method can be used in a wide range of practical applications. The application of the design technique is illustrated in two typical situations: lacking a probability model for the pharmacokinetic parameters (etomidate) and having a probability model for the pharmacokinetic parameters (theophylline).
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Matemática Aplicada, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lago
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004360:Drug Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D005045:Etomidate / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008433:Mathematics; D013269:Stochastic Processes; D013806:Theophylline / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D013806:Theophylline; D005045:Etomidate