Drug therapy in dental practice: general principles. Part 1 - Pharmacokinetic considerations.

The fundamental principles that govern drug therapy are often overlooked by the busy clinician. This disregard frequently results in the use of particular drugs and regimens that may be less than ideal for the clinical situation being managed. By convention, these principles are categorized as pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic. Pharmacokinetic processes include drug absorption, distribution, biotransformation (metabolism), and elimination, essentially reflecting the influence of the body on the drug administered. Pharmacodynamics deals with the actual mechanisms of action and the effects a drug produces on the patient. This latter topic will be addressed in a future continuing education article.