Clinical meaning
Pharmacotherapeutics: Core Principles, OTC encompasses prescriptive authority principles, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic considerations, and safety monitoring specific to pharmacotherapeutics.
Diagnosis & workup
Diagnostics & workup: - Comprehensive medication reconciliation - Drug level monitoring for narrow therapeutic index medications - Renal function (CrCl/eGFR) for dose adjustments - Hepatic function (Child-Pugh score) for metabolism assessment - CYP enzyme genotyping when pharmacogenomic guidance available - ECG for QTc-prolonging medications - Drug interaction screening with clinical decision support tools
Risk factors: - Polypharmacy (>=5 medications) with drug interaction risk - Renal or hepatic impairment affecting drug metabolism/clearance - Extremes of age (pediatric weight-based dosing, geriatric Beers Criteria) - Pregnancy and lactation (FDA pregnancy categories) - Genetic polymorphisms affecting drug metabolism (CYP2D6, CYP2C19) - Non-adherence to medication regimen - History of adverse drug reactions or drug allergies