Final answer:
The half-life of a medication refers to the time it takes for the body to eliminate half of the drug. The half-life can vary depending on the specific medication, with some having short half-lives of only 1 hour and others having longer half-lives exceeding 12 hours. Understanding the half-life of a drug is important in determining its dosing frequency and how long it remains in the body.
Step-by-step explanation:
The time it takes for the body to get rid of half of a medication is known as the half-life of the drug. The half-life can vary significantly depending on the specific drug, with some drugs having a short half-life of only 1 hour, while others can have a half-life exceeding 12 hours.
For example, if a drug has a half-life of 1 hour, it means that after 1 hour, only half of the initial dose will remain in the body. After another hour, only a quarter of the initial dose will remain, and so on.
It's important to note that the half-life of a drug can impact how frequently it needs to be taken and how long it remains active in the body.