B.iii · Pharmacokinetics

This viva will examine general pharmacology concepts. Define volume of distribution. Using the figure provided, how you would determine the initial Volume of distribution (Vd) following administration of 1500 mg IV of drug X. (Drug plasma concentration vs time graph removed from report)

This VIVA will examine anti-bacterial pharmacology. What factors determine the ability of an intravenously administered anti-bacterial to treat a localised infection?

This Viva will examine your knowledge of the pharmacokinetics of thiopentone. What factors determine how quickly a patient becomes unconscious with an induction dose of thiopentone? Subsequent questions explored knowledge of serum concentration vs time curves and the information derived from them, volume of distribution (factors that affect it and how it is measured), clearance (definition, calculation, relationship to volume of distribution), elimination (first and zero order) and half-life.

This viva will test knowledge of pharmacokinetics and statistics Draw the concentration time curve for an intravenous bolus of fentanyl. At this Viva candidates were asked to draw a concentration – time curve for an intravenous bolus of fentanyl, to label it and describe the information relating to that curve. Candidates were also asked about volume of distribution, half-life and clearance. In the second part to this Viva candidates were shown and asked to describe various types of data, mean and median values, normal distribution and critical evaluation of a study.