Testing for drugs of abuse usually occurs in two circumstances: possible or known overdose or testing of clinically well persons to detect drug use. Overdose will be discussed in the section on toxicology. Drug screening has its own unique problems. For example, it is necessary to provide legal chain of custody protection to specimens so […]
Cyclosporine (previously called “cyclosporin A”) is a compound derived from a soil fungus that has strong immunosuppressive activity and is widely used to prevent transplant rejection. Cyclosporine is thought to inhibit helper T-cell function with minimal effect on B-cell function. Cyclosporine can be administered orally or intravenously. If given orally, it is absorbed through the […]
Gentamicin.Methods of estimating antibiotic therapeutic effectiveness have been discussed elsewhere (chapter 14). Several antibiotics possess therapeutic ranges whose upper limits border on toxicity. Serum assays for several of these have been developed, most commonly using some type of immunoassay. One example will be used to illustrate general principles. Gentamicin (Garamycin) is one of the aminoglycoside […]
