Therapeutic Drug
Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is a critical field within clinical biochemistry that focuses on measuring the concentration of medication in a patient's bloodstream. This field is particularly important for drugs with a narrow therapeutic range, meaning drugs that can easily become under or overdosed, leading to ineffective treatment or potential toxicity.
TDM involves measuring the concentration of a drug in a patient's blood at specific intervals after administration. The results of these measurements are then used to adjust the dosage of the medication to achieve optimal therapeutic effects. TDM is used in a wide range of medical specialties, including psychiatry, oncology, cardiology, and infectious diseases.
The laboratory services offered in therapeutic drug monitoring include a range of tests to measure the concentration of medications in a patient's bloodstream. These tests may include monitoring of immunosuppressive drugs, antibiotics, anticonvulsants, and other medications. By monitoring drug levels in the blood, healthcare providers can optimize treatment regimens and avoid potential toxicity.
TDM can also be used to detect drug interactions, which occur when two or more drugs are taken together, and can result in unexpected changes in drug concentrations. By monitoring drug levels in the blood, healthcare providers can detect potential drug interactions and adjust treatment regimens accordingly.
Overall, therapeutic drug monitoring is a critical component of modern medicine, helping to ensure that patients receive optimal treatment with minimal side effects or toxicity. The laboratory services offered in therapeutic drug monitoring play a vital role in this process, providing accurate and timely measurements of drug concentrations to help guide treatment decisions.
This is a subdivision of clinical biochemistry that specializes in measuring the concentration of medication in the blood. The investigation’s focus is on drug with a narrow therapeutic range, i.e. drug that can easily be under – or overdosed.
TDM is aimed at improving patient care by individually adjusting the dose of drugs for which cinical experience has shown improved outcome. We offer Therapeutic Drug Monitoring for carbamazepine/tegretol, Digoxin, Valproic Acid, Ethanol, Paracetamol, Salicylates, Phenytoir etc.