Physiology, Zero and First Order Kinetics

Excerpt

As the human body ingests substances and medications, it utilizes a variety of metabolism and elimination processes. The second focus in this article will be zero and first-order kinetic elimination, which are clinically useful in achieving a therapeutic level of medication and prognostically assessing toxicity levels and implementing treatment. For simplicity, the following discussion will be specific to a one-compartment model, which views the human body as a homogeneous unit. Lastly, while the vast majority of drugs undergo elimination via first-order kinetics, a firm understanding of both zero and first-order kinetics is crucial in a clinical setting, as there can be fluidity between the two types of elimination with the same specific substance.