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medication half-life

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veritysims | 11:05 Wed 24th Sep 2008 | Health & Fitness
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Please could someone explain to me in simple terms what it means if a medication has a half life of 2-3 hours. Does this mean that the effects wear off after 2-3 hours and another dose should be taken? Or, does it mean that the effects of the med last 4-6 hours and should be taken every 4-6 hours? I am very confused. Thanks!!
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In 2-3 hours, half of the administered dose has been eliminated from the body. That does NOT mean that the drug should be taken every 2-3 hours, in that the remaining half could still be pharmacologically active. The time that a drug is ACTIVE varies with the type of drug, so that ACTIVITY and HALF LIFE are different measurements and do not mean the same.
Does this help?

http://bipolar.about.com/od/glossary/g/gl_medh alflife.htm

What is your medication for and how often should you take it?
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medication half-life

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