Which condition is most likely to reduce the hepatic clearance of a drug with a high extraction ratio?
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Correct answer: Reduced hepatic blood flow from heart failure
For a drug with a high extraction ratio, the liver removes almost all of the drug delivered to it, so hepatic blood flow becomes the rate-limiting step (flow-limited clearance). Conditions that reduce hepatic perfusion, such as heart failure, therefore lower its clearance markedly.
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