Half-Life and Clearance · Pharmacology

Which condition is most likely to reduce the hepatic clearance of a drug with a high extraction ratio?

  1. Induction of hepatic metabolizing enzymes
  2. Reduced hepatic blood flow from heart failure
  3. An increase in plasma albumin levels
  4. Displacement of the drug from plasma protein binding sites
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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.

Difficulty: Medium Question 16 of 20

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