Question

Theophylline is a pharmaceutical drug that is sometimes used to help with lung function. you observe a case where the initial lab results indicate that the concentration of theophylline in a patient's body decreased from m to m in 24 hours. in another 12 hours the drug concentration was found to be m. what is the value of the rate constant for the metabolism of this drug in the body?

Answer 1

Prophylactic use of diazepam may not prevent seizures as they are caused by the use of theophylline. Tachycardia and seizures are known toxic effects of theophylline at higher blood levels. The drug has a narrow margin of safety. It should be monitor blood levels of theophylline helps to reduce such toxic effects. Caffeine increases the toxic effects of theophylline. 

Answer 2

Answer:

Drug metabolism can be defined as the transformation of drug which can be taken orally, subcutaneously, intravenously or by any other mode of intake specifically in the highly complex and difficult to digest form are converted into simpler and easily digestible forms which can facilitate their elimination from the body. The majority of drug metabolic processes occur in the liver as the enzymes responsible for metabolism are present in liver. Rate of metabolism of drug is the time duration in which the amount of drug taken inside the body is completely eliminated from the body. Tolerance of drugs is the amount of drug necessary to get the desired effect. In this case the concentration of theophylline in a patient's body decreased from m to m in 24 hours and further in another 12 hours the drug concentration was found to m this indicate that in first 24 hours the drug had an effect on the body metabolism which the body became tolerant for the the next 12 hours. Therefore the rate constant in this case will become half for the metabolism of drug in the body.