Administration of the same dose of a drug to a group of individuals may result in different drug effects. This difference in drug response can be attributed to differences in drug pharmacokinetics.
The factors that cause differences in drug pharmacokinetics include weight, age, diseases, genetic factors, drug interactions, and other physiological and pathological conditions.
Examine the plasma concentration achieved after administration of the same theophylline dose (5 mg/kg q 8 hr) to different patients.
The pharmacokinetic characteristics of the same drug can be different in different patient populations. This necessitates individualization of drug therapy depending on the patient's specific conditions.
