Pharmacokinetics

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Abstract
This is a review paper dealing with the dynamics of drugs and their metabolites in the body. After an introduction in which terms commonly used in the pharmacokinetics literature are introduced, linear pharmacokinetic models are analysed, distinction being drawn between intravascular administration, in which the drug is injected directly into the systemic blood circulation, and extravascular administration, where an absorption phase occurs before the drug appears in the systemic blood. Some commonly occurring non-linear effects are described, and the relationships between pharmacokinetics (drug in blood) and pharmacodynamics (pharmacological effect) are discussed. Throughout the paper, emphasis is laid on the mathematical modelling and, in particular, aspects of system identification. The special features of pharmacokinetics in relation to the identification process are illustrated, and the general lessons to be learnt are discussed.