Submitted by: Submitted by juliegordon
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Category: Science and Technology
Date Submitted: 09/23/2012 08:07 AM
Pharmacokinetics vs pharmacodynamics
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* What is a Drug
Most broad definition: chemical entity that affects a living protoplasm
Difference between drug and medicine
Medicine is a kind of drug – used to treat, cure, prevent or diagnose disease
What is Pharmacology
Study of drugs and medicine
Very broad
Includes chemistry, biology, biochemistry, physiology, pathology, pathophysiology, molecular biology, enzymology, genetics
Every aspect of how a drug interfaces with the human body – what it is about the drug and how that interplays with normal bodily functions
Disease relevant targets, selection of drug to manipulate the target, evaluate the response, maximize specificity of the response, minimize toxicity, prove it works
Constantly evolving, multiple disciplines, multiple levels
We know that environment significantly changes a person’s response to a drug; also, no two humans respond to drugs in the same way (personalized medicine)
Interaction between genes and environment is important as well
How are Drugs Developed
First, pre-clinical testing and R&D
Average 18 months (1-3 years)
Discovery, initial synthesis, purification
Drug discover phase
Followed by exposing animals to the drug molecule to attempt to determine how the drug might work, if the drug will work, and if the drug is safe
Surrogate animal models
FDA – gives permission for investigators to start testing drug on humans
Phase 1, phase 2, and phase 3 of testing on humans – focused on trying to define pharmacokinetics (phase 1), pharmacodynamics (phase 2), and then impact of drug on clinical outcome (phase 3)
At this stage, the drug is still investigational – must undergo review again for FDA to discern whether drug is safe for use in populations
If drug is approved, evaluate impact drug safety and efficacy
Pharmacology
In US alone, more than 4 billion prescriptions written in 2011 ($320 billion)
Drug therapy is used in the treatment of almost all diseases
Aim...