Definition of Drug Dynamics

Drug dynamics (pharmacodynamics) involves what a drug does to the human body.

Drug dynamics describes the following properties of drugs:

• Therapeutic effects (such as relief of pain and reduction of blood pressure)

• Side effects (see Drug Action and Chemical Interactions)

• Where the drug acts on the body (site of activity)

• How the drug acts on the body (mechanism of action)

A drug’s effects on the body may be influenced by many factors, such as

• A person’s age (see Aging and Drugs)

• A person's genetic makeup

• The presence of other medical conditions in addition to ones being treated (see Overview of Response to Drugs)