Objectives

After completing this module you should be able to:

• Describe the most common causes of nonlinear pharmacokinetic behavior and the common characteristics of nonlinear pharmacokinetics.

• Define the Michaelis-Menten pharmacokinetic parameters.

• Describe the basic characteristics of Michaelis-Menten pharmacokinetics.

• Analyze the effect of changing one or more of the pharmacokinetic parameters on the steady state plasma concentration after a single and multiple drug administration.

• Determine the nonlinear pharmacokinetic parameters using mathematical and graphical methods.

• Recommend the dosing regimen required to achieve therapeutic plasma concentration of drugs that follow nonlinear kinetics in patients.