PHA 5127

Problem Set
"Drug Administration"

1. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of pulmonary delivery.

• Advantages
  • No first pass
  • Local or systemic
• Disadvantages:
  • Low efficiency. Lot is swallowed
  • Expensive, tedious
  • need optimal particle size

2. When would you give a constant infusion?

Answer:
When you want a constant drug level for a prolonged or sustained effect, so that drug remains always within the therapeutic window especially for drug with a narrow therapeutic window.

3. Why are plasma levels after i.m. administration quite often flat? What are the factors determining the levels?

Answer:

This is because i.m. administration acts as a depot of release and then the drug is released as a sustained release product giving it a flat profile.

The factors determining this are:

1. Solubility of the drug
2. Crystal size
3. Proximity of blood vessels from site of administration

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