Final answer:
Pathology can affect the effectiveness of medications by impacting the liver's ability to metabolize drugs and the kidneys' ability to excrete drugs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Pathology, or the presence of disease, can affect the effectiveness of medications in several ways. One major impact is on the primary organ responsible for drug breakdown, which is the liver. When a disease affects the liver, it can impair the organ's ability to properly metabolize medications, leading to altered drug concentrations in the body. Additionally, pathology can affect the excretion of drugs, with most drugs being excreted through the kidneys in the urine. If the kidneys are affected by disease, it can impact the excretion of drugs, potentially leading to drug accumulation and toxicity.