title: Application of queueing theory to pharmacokinetics.
abstract: This paper considers the steady-state plasma drug concentration in a one-compartment, open pharmacokinetic model with multiple doses and first-order kinetics using a classical deterministic technique as well as a queueing theoretical stochastic analysis. The stochastic analysis employs a new method for obtaining the steady-state probability distribution of the content of a dam with compound Poisson input and a general release rule. It is shown that if the deterministic steady-state average concentration exists, it is equal to the mean value of the steady-state concentration, the probability distribution of which is obtained using the stochastic model. Moreover, the steady-state probability distribution of the concentration and its mean always exist in the stochastic model. Ramifications of the stochastic method of analysis are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D013598:Systems Theory
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations