Toward optimal drug therapy. Benefits of therapeutic drug monitoring

• Published in: Postgraduate medicine Vol. 74; no. 4; p. 121
• Main Authors: McCoy, H G, Cipolle, R J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-10-1983
• Subjects: Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Therapy - standards; Humans; Monitoring, Physiologic; Pharmaceutical Preparations - metabolism; Protein Binding
• ISSN: 0032-5481
• DOI: 10.1080/00325481.1983.11698459

Over the past two decades, therapeutic drug monitoring has repeatedly been found to improve efficacy and minimize toxicity. Monitoring is needed in patients with conditions that alter their responses to drugs, such as congestive heart failure or old age. It is also necessitated by such drug factors as variable distribution or elimination and by such clinical situations as when compliance or efficacy is questioned. For drug monitoring to achieve its potential benefits, serum concentrations of drug must be measured at the appropriate time. In most clinical situations, a single trough measurement at steady state is adequate to assess therapy.