Final answer:
The term for the time it takes a medication in the body to decrease in amount by half is called the half-life. The half-life of a medication is the period of time it takes for the concentration of the medication to decrease to one-half its initial value.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term for the time it takes a medication in the body to decrease in amount by half is called the half-life. The half-life of a medication is the period of time it takes for the concentration of the medication to decrease to one-half its initial value.
For example, let's say a medication has a half-life of 4 hours. After 4 hours, the concentration of the medication in the body will be reduced to half of its initial concentration. After another 4 hours (a total of 8 hours), the concentration will be reduced to one-quarter of its initial concentration.
The concept of half-life is used in pharmacology and medicine to determine the appropriate dosing intervals for medications.