Final answer:
The half-life of cephalexin, an antibiotic, is approximately 1 hour in patients with normal renal function, but can vary. It is important for determining dosing frequency to maintain therapeutic effectiveness and prevent toxicity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The half-life of a drug is a critical pharmacokinetic property that determines how frequently a drug should be administered to maintain its therapeutic effect without reaching toxic levels. Cephalexin is an antibiotic with a half-life that is important for healthcare providers to consider when prescribing the medication. While the specific half-life of cephalexin was not provided in the resources provided, generally, the half-life of cephalexin is around 1 hour in patients with normal renal function.
The half-life may vary depending on individual patient factors such as kidney function. Due to its relatively short half-life, cephalexin is usually prescribed to be taken multiple times a day to sustain effective drug levels in the body. Dose dependability and time dependency are two factors that might influence how cephalexin is prescribed, to ensure optimal efficiency and minimize the risk of toxicity or resistance.