Geneesmiddeldistributie: overzicht

Distribution refers to the two-way movement of a drug between different compartments within the body.

It is a passive process driven by the concentration gradient between the blood and the extravascular tissues.

Initially, the free drug in the blood rapidly permeates the capillary walls and enters the extracellular fluid or ECF.

From there, it crosses the tissue cell membrane to reach the intracellular fluid.

This step is the rate-limiting step and relies on two major factors. First is the perfusion rate to the extracellular tissue, which determines how quickly the drug is delivered to the tissue.

Second is the membrane permeability of the drug. It dictates how easily the drug can cross the cell membrane.

Other factors influencing drug distribution are organ or tissue size, physiological barriers, and individuals.

The theoretical volume of body fluid into which a drug is distributed is illustrated by the volume of distribution.