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Professor Saltzman starts the lecture with an introduction to pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Professor Saltzman talks about the concept of dose-response. He introduces different routes of drug administration and how they affect drug distribution and bioavailability (i.e., intravenous, oral, and sublingual routes). First-pass drug metabolism by the liver is also identified as an important source of drug degradation. Finally, modeling the body as a well-stirred vessel, Professor Saltzman explains the first-order rate equation: C = (M0/V)*e-kt, that can be used calculate the amount of drug in the body (M) as a function of time (t) and a rate constant (k); and the equation for drug half-life: t = ln(2/k).
The course covers basic concepts of biomedical engineering and their connection with the spectrum of human activity. It serves as an introduction to the fundamental science and engineering on which biomedical engineering is based. Case studies of drugs and medical products illustrate the product development-product testing cycle, patent protection, and FDA approval. It is designed for science and non-science majors.
Lecture Transcript, Handouts, and Reading Assignment
