title: The effect of infusion time on the time course of drug concentration in blood.
abstract: We have studied by digital computer stimulation the relationship among the rate of intravenous infusion of the dose of a drug, the pharmacokinetic parameters of the drug, the maximum blood drug concentration achieved (Cmax) and the interval (TEff) during which the blood concentration of the drug is maintained above a selected minimum effective concentration (CEff) for the case of single dose administration of a drug with monoexponential pharmacokinetics. It was found that increasing the time during which the dose of the drug is infused results in a much smaller decrease in the maximum blood concentration attained. TEff, was found to be a fraction of the ratios infusion time/drug elimination half-life and zero-time intercept (Co)/CEff. The stimulations showed that TEff varies nonlinearly with increasing infusion time. However, the nature of the relationship between TEff and infusion time depends very much on the value of Co/CEff. At low values of Co/CEff, TEff decreased almost linearly with increasing infusion time, but at higher values of Co/CEff, TEff increased for a time with increasing infusion time. From these simulations, it should be possible to predict whether therapeutically effective blood concentrations of a drug may be achieved with the use of a slower infusion in situations where clinical considerations necessitate that the infusion time of the dose be increased.
mesh_terms: D003201:Computers; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations