Practical Applications of Pharmacokinetic Principles to Theophylline Dosing

Pharmacokinetic principles can be used to establish dosage regimens for theophylline in the clinical management of patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The narrow therapeutic range for theophylline coupled with the many factors that affect its absorption, distribution, and elimination warrant the need to monitor serum theophylline concentrations. These concentrations can then be used in conjunction with dosing status and clinical symptomatology in pharmacokinetic equations to optimize theophylline therapy.