title: Complex PK/PD models--an alcoholic experience.
abstract: The absorption and disposition of ethanol are among the more complex of challenges for pharmacokinetics. Attempts to explain the relative bioavailability of ethanol in beer of differing ethanol concentrations have led to models of first pass extraction which recognize the concentration dependent nature of ethanol elimination as well as the role of hepatic blood and the rate of absorption from the gut. The pharmacodynamics of ethanol have also proven to be of matching complexity. While effects on motor coordination only required a delay between plasma and response time profiles the effects on a cognitive test revealed the rapid development of tolerance in addition to a delay. Description of the time course of ethanol effects in an individual after a single oral dose requires over 10 parameters and offers a serious challenge for forensic predictions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Holford
mesh_terms: D019540:Area Under Curve; D001515:Beer / Q000032:analysis; D001682:Biological Availability; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D000431:Ethanol / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol