Page 1 of 21
ANPS 8005 - Module 1- Neuro Psychopharmacology
What are Pharmacokinetics? - ANSWER-What our body does to drugs
Describe 4 areas of pharmacokinetics - ANSWER-ADME - Absorption,
Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion/elimination
Drug administration in various routes then absorbed through diff tissues
What is Absorption of pharmacokinetics? - ANSWER-The amount of drug
entering circulation after overcoming physical, chemical, or biological barriers
(going through gi track, skin, mucus membranes)
What is bioavailability? - ANSWER-Fraction of administered drug that reaches
systemic circulation to reach the intended target after absorption barriers
Ex- IV is 1 or 100% others are fractions
What effects bioavailability? - ANSWER-Route, formulation of the drug, drug
characteristics, patient characteristics
Is highly lipophilic / fat soluble drugs more penatratable or hydrophilic / water
loving drugs - ANSWER-Lipophilic - fat
, Page 2 of 21
What is first pass metabolism - ANSWER-Phenomenon in which the liver
metabolizes some of a drug before it can circulate through the body, particularly
when the drug has been taken orally. Can activate fraction of what was ingested
or active a pro drug
What are 4 ways a drug can be absorbed? - ANSWER-Enteral (oral- but has 1st
pass metabolism)
parenteral (rapid, no first pass metabolism, irreversible- sq, IM, IV, intrathecal)
mucus membranes- (sl, ocular, rectal - few meds)
transdermal (has to be highly lipophilic & slow delivery but no 1st pass
metabolism required)
What is Distribution, goal of it & 3 components that affect it? - ANSWER-once
medications are absorbed it is how they are distributed- which varies pending
properties of blood & body tissues-
goal is to get drug molecules to the target so drug can work - some stored in
bone & fat
A. volume of distribution,
B. blood brain barrier- hydrophobic drugs or intrasequeal,
C. plasm protein- albumin - protein bound=low volume of distribution = valproic
acid w/ free concentration could lead to toxicity
What is volume of distribution? Why is it important? - ANSWER-The extrapolate
volume based on the concentration of the drug in the plasma
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It is important when achieving drug concentrations.
Example- drugs of equal potency but one more highly disturbed you'll need a
higher initial dose to achieve a therapeutic plasma concentration than a drug
that is less highly distributed
Distribution- how do medications work with the blood brain barrier? -
ANSWER-Brain has tight junctions to prevent passive diffusion of most drugs
Drugs must be highly lipophilic or use existing proteins - to protect the cns- can
use intrathecal to bypass
Distribution- what is the affects of plasma protein binding?
How can it affect distribution? - ANSWER-Can change / determines how much
of the drug reaches the target
A drug that is bound is not available to cross membranes staying in circulatory
system & does not arrive to its destination
Albumin can be a marker - low albumin can cause more free concentration
leading to toxicity
Also if you have 2 highly bound protein drugs they may compete for binding &
push one off leading to higher concentrations on one
Drugs that are protein bound have what volume of distribution? Example of a
drug? - ANSWER-Low
Ex- valproic acid - need to watch for toxicity
ANPS 8005 - Module 1- Neuro Psychopharmacology
What are Pharmacokinetics? - ANSWER-What our body does to drugs
Describe 4 areas of pharmacokinetics - ANSWER-ADME - Absorption,
Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion/elimination
Drug administration in various routes then absorbed through diff tissues
What is Absorption of pharmacokinetics? - ANSWER-The amount of drug
entering circulation after overcoming physical, chemical, or biological barriers
(going through gi track, skin, mucus membranes)
What is bioavailability? - ANSWER-Fraction of administered drug that reaches
systemic circulation to reach the intended target after absorption barriers
Ex- IV is 1 or 100% others are fractions
What effects bioavailability? - ANSWER-Route, formulation of the drug, drug
characteristics, patient characteristics
Is highly lipophilic / fat soluble drugs more penatratable or hydrophilic / water
loving drugs - ANSWER-Lipophilic - fat
, Page 2 of 21
What is first pass metabolism - ANSWER-Phenomenon in which the liver
metabolizes some of a drug before it can circulate through the body, particularly
when the drug has been taken orally. Can activate fraction of what was ingested
or active a pro drug
What are 4 ways a drug can be absorbed? - ANSWER-Enteral (oral- but has 1st
pass metabolism)
parenteral (rapid, no first pass metabolism, irreversible- sq, IM, IV, intrathecal)
mucus membranes- (sl, ocular, rectal - few meds)
transdermal (has to be highly lipophilic & slow delivery but no 1st pass
metabolism required)
What is Distribution, goal of it & 3 components that affect it? - ANSWER-once
medications are absorbed it is how they are distributed- which varies pending
properties of blood & body tissues-
goal is to get drug molecules to the target so drug can work - some stored in
bone & fat
A. volume of distribution,
B. blood brain barrier- hydrophobic drugs or intrasequeal,
C. plasm protein- albumin - protein bound=low volume of distribution = valproic
acid w/ free concentration could lead to toxicity
What is volume of distribution? Why is it important? - ANSWER-The extrapolate
volume based on the concentration of the drug in the plasma
, Page 3 of 21
It is important when achieving drug concentrations.
Example- drugs of equal potency but one more highly disturbed you'll need a
higher initial dose to achieve a therapeutic plasma concentration than a drug
that is less highly distributed
Distribution- how do medications work with the blood brain barrier? -
ANSWER-Brain has tight junctions to prevent passive diffusion of most drugs
Drugs must be highly lipophilic or use existing proteins - to protect the cns- can
use intrathecal to bypass
Distribution- what is the affects of plasma protein binding?
How can it affect distribution? - ANSWER-Can change / determines how much
of the drug reaches the target
A drug that is bound is not available to cross membranes staying in circulatory
system & does not arrive to its destination
Albumin can be a marker - low albumin can cause more free concentration
leading to toxicity
Also if you have 2 highly bound protein drugs they may compete for binding &
push one off leading to higher concentrations on one
Drugs that are protein bound have what volume of distribution? Example of a
drug? - ANSWER-Low
Ex- valproic acid - need to watch for toxicity
