Drug Level Tests

Drug level tests are performed to determine whether the level of a drug is high enough to have a therapeutic effect or if it is too high to cause toxic side effects.

Doctors adjust the drug dose or dosing schedule according to the results of these blood tests.

Drug levels are generally made for the following purposes:

• Checking if a medication dose needs to be adjusted
• detecting if the level of medication in the bloodstream is too high or too low

The dose is usually correct when the test result is within the laboratory reference range, that is, within the therapeutic range. However, within this range, symptoms, side effects, or inadequate control of symptoms are possible and the dose may need to be adjusted according to the physician's clinical judgment.

In the laboratory setting, physiological indicators of therapeutic responses such as lipid concentrations, blood glucose, blood pressure, and coagulation are directly measured and drug pharmacodynamics is routinely monitored. For many drugs, this method is not sensitive enough.

In short, drug level monitoring enables certain drugs to be measured at regular intervals to maintain a constant concentration in a patient's bloodstream, thereby optimizing individual dosing regimens.

Mainly, this test method is applied to monitor the following types of drugs:

• narrow therapeutic range drugs
• Drugs with marked pharmacokinetic variability
• Drugs whose target concentrations are difficult to monitor
• Medications known to cause therapeutic and side effects

The drug level monitoring process is based on the following assumptions:

• There is a relationship between dose and drug concentration in plasma or blood.
• There is an identifiable relationship between concentration and therapeutic effects.

The drug level monitoring process begins when the drug is first prescribed and includes determining an initial dosage regimen appropriate to the clinical situation and patient characteristics such as age, weight, organ function, and concomitant drug therapy.

When interpreting concentration measurements, factors such as drug dose, dosage history, patient response, and sampling time related to desired medical goals are considered. The aim is to use appropriate concentrations of difficult-to-manage drugs to optimize clinical outcomes in patients.

Our organization carries out very different testing, analysis, measurement, control and evaluation activities for businesses in various sectors. In these studies, it always follows domestic and foreign standards and applicable legal regulations. Our organization, which has a trained and experienced staff and advanced technological facilities, also provides drug-level testing services within the scope of medical drug tests to companies that request it.