What is the study of the rates at which drugs and their metabolites are absorbed, distributed, and eliminated from the body called?

The term that refers to the study of the rates at which drugs and their metabolites are absorbed, distributed, and eliminated from the body is pharmacokinetics. This field is crucial for understanding how drugs move through the body and how long they stay in the system, which informs dosing regimens and the potential for side effects.

Pharmacokinetics covers four main processes: absorption (how the drug enters the bloodstream), distribution (how it spreads throughout the body), metabolism (how the body chemically alters the drug), and excretion (how the drug is eliminated). This knowledge is essential in ensuring medications are effective and safe for patients.

The other options, while related to drug studies, focus on different aspects. Pharmacodynamics deals with the biochemical and physiological effects of drugs on the body, pharmacology encompasses the broad study of drugs including their properties and effects, and toxicology studies the adverse effects of chemicals, particularly concerning poison and toxicity.