Pharmacokinetics Basics: Half-Life, Clearance & Steady State
First-order elimination, half-life and k from two levels, volume of distribution, clearance and AUC with the trapezoid rule, accumulation to steady state, time to plateau, infusions and the effect of kidney function, all in a live spreadsheet that checks every cell. Placeholder drugs and illustrative parameters only, not clinical guidance.
The first lesson is free — no account needed.
About this course
A pharmacokinetics course that practises the core PK calculations on placeholder drugs in a spreadsheet, for pharmacy, nursing, medicine and pharmacology students and anyone revising first-order kinetics. You model the concentration after an IV bolus with C = C0·e^(−kt) and chart the decay, estimate the elimination rate constant and half-life from two blood levels with LN, calculate the apparent volume of distribution and apply the loading-dose formula, compute the AUC with the trapezoid rule and the extrapolated tail and derive clearance, follow peaks and troughs over ten repeated doses to steady state, compare accumulation ratios and the time to 95% of steady state, calculate the steady-state concentration of a constant infusion and see how reduced kidney function lowers clearance in an illustrative adjustment with safety flags. Placeholder drugs and illustrative parameters, calculation practice only, not clinical or dosing guidance. The first lab is free.
Lessons
- First-Order Elimination: C = C0·e^(−kt) in a Time Table & a ChartFree
- Half-Life & k from Two Concentrations with LN Pro
- Volume of Distribution & the Loading-Dose Formula Pro
- Clearance & AUC with the Trapezoid Rule Pro
- Repeated Dosing: Accumulation to Steady State in a Step Table & a Chart Pro
- Accumulation Ratio & Time to Steady State (≈ 4–5 Half-Lives) Pro
- Continuous Infusion: Css = Rate ÷ CL and the Approach to Plateau Pro
- Renal Function & Clearance: An Illustrative Proportional Adjustment with Safety Flags Pro