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1. INTRODUCTION
Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) has contributed
substantially in assisting patient management and has
become an important tool in clinical medicine. The
provision of TDM service requires a team effort from
various clinical services. In a typical TDM service, the
clinician will determine the initial dose of a drug. A
clinical pharmacist assists by providing essential
information about the drug, revises the initial regimen if
necessary, and provides a plan for TDM. A nurse or a
phlebotomist collects the blood sample at an
appropriate time. The nurse usually documents
essential information and clinical response of the
patient. Finally, a clinical laboratory scientist or chemist
performs the drug assays (Figure 1). Once the assay
*Address correspondence to this author at the Faculty of Medicine King AbdulAziz University, Saudi Arabia; Tel: 0966568970438;
E-mail: Profahmedali@gmail.com
E-ISSN: 2309-4435/13
(1)
(2)
Knowledge
of
pharmacological
and
pharmacokinetic profiles of the administered
drugs,
(3)
(4)
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Examples
Digoxin; (amiodarone,)
Antibiotics
gentamycin, amikacin
tobramycin, vancomycin
Antiepileptic drugs
Bronchodilators
theophylline (caffeine)
Immunosuppressant
Cytotoxic drugs
methotrexate
Analgesic
Sampling
Condition
for
the
Drug
Level
After
Achievement
of
89
Steady-State
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Ali et al.
Comment
Drug
Comment
Digoxin
Carbamazepine
Digoxin
91
or hyperthyroidism
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for
93
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Ali et al.
[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]
[8]
[9]
[10]
[11]
Efforts should be implemented to insure costeffective service. The following criteria are suggested:
[12]
[13]
[14]
[15]
[16]
[17]
[18]
Brodtkorb
E,
Reimers
A.
Seizure
control
and
pharmacokinetics of antiepileptic drugs in pregnant women
with epilepsy. Seizure 2008; 17: 160-65.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.seizure.2007.11.015
[19]
[20]
Bates DW, Soldin SJ, Rainey PM, Micelli JN. Strategies for
physician education in therapeutic drug monitoring. Clin
Chem 1998; 44: 401-7.
3. SUMMARY
[2]
4th
ed.
[21]
[22]
[23]
Received on 15-04-2013
95
[24]
Islam SI, Ezeamuzie CI, Shaheen FA, Sheikh IA, et al. The
impact of long-term cyclosporin-a therapy on hematological
and biochemical profile in renal transplant patients. Int J Clin
Pharmacol Ther 1995; 33: 315-21.
[25]
Accepted on 03-06-2013
Published on 30-12-2013
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14205/2309-4435.2013.01.02.5