Question

The nurse is planning to administer a drug that has a very long half-life. Which of the following is a true statement regarding the half-life of a medication?

Select one:
a. The longer the half-life of a drug, the shorter the effect the drug will have on the body.
b. The half-life and therapeutic range are terms that can be used interchangeably.
c. The half-life of a drug and the loading dose are always the same dose.
d. The greater the half-life, the longer the drug takes to be excreted

Answer 1

A drug with a greater half-life takes longer to be excreted from the body, and this affects how often doses have to be administered and the duration of potential side effects. The therapeutic range and loading dose are different and independent pharmacokinetic parameters.

Step-by-step explanation:

The half-life of a medication is an important pharmacokinetic parameter that indicates the time it takes for the plasma concentration of the drug to reduce by half. Understanding this concept is crucial for determining dosing schedules and managing potential side effects. The correct statement regarding the half-life of a medication is that the greater the half-life, the longer the drug takes to be excreted from the body.

Drugs with a long half-life remain in the system longer, which can reduce the frequency of dosing but may also sustain potential side effects. Certain drugs may require a loading dose to quickly establish therapeutic levels, but this is not necessarily related to the half-life itself. Moreover, the therapeutic range of a drug, which refers to the plasma drug concentration between efficacy and toxicity, is not interchangeable with the drug’s half-life.