Following loading dose infusion, serum level measurements at specific times can allow calculation of the elimination rate constant.
First: Draw blood levels at 0, 4 and 8 hours after infusion.
Note: Keep track of the "time for infusion" (time when infusion started to when it is completed). The first blood level (time = 0) is drawn immediately upon completion of the infusion.
Second: Assuming 1st order kinetics, the elimination rate constant can be calculated either by linear regression or from the plot of:
LN (plasma concentration) versus time.
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