SON Pharmacokinetics Unit 5 Lesson 4

Open Ended

​DO NOW: When you swallow a pill, where does it go? What do you think happens next after you swallow the medication?

​SWBAT explain the four stages of pharmacokinetics — absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion — using real‑life examples.

​🔍 Pharmacokinetics — Word Parts Breakdown
1. Pharmaco‑ Meaning: drug; medication From: Greek pharmakon = drug or poison
2. ‑kinet‑ Meaning: movement; motion From: Greek kinesis = movement 3. ‑ics Meaning: the study of; the science of

​📘 Put Together: Pharmacokinetics = the study of how drugs move through the body. (Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion — ADME)

​The Four Stages of Pharmacokinetics (ADME)

Multiple Choice

What is pharmacokinetics

• Pharmacokinetics refers to the chemical composition of drugs.
• Pharmacokinetics is the study of drug interactions.
• Pharmacokinetics is the study of how drugs move through the body.
• Pharmacokinetics is the analysis of drug side effects.

Absorption —
Definition: How the drug enters the bloodstream.

Examples:
A pill dissolving in the stomach
An injection going straight into the bloodstream
A patch slowly releasing medicine through the skin

Key idea: Different routes = different speeds.

​ Distribution —

Definition: How the drug travels through the bloodstream to the tissues and organs.

Examples:
Antibiotics traveling to the lungs
Pain meds reaching the brain
Insulin moving to muscle and fat cells

Key idea: Blood flow matters — areas with more blood get the drug faster.

​Metabolism —

Definition: How the body breaks down the drug, usually in the liver.

Examples: The liver turning a drug into a form the body can use
Some drugs becoming active only after metabolism

Key idea: The liver is the body’s chemical “factory.”

​⭐ Example: Tylenol (Acetaminophen) When you swallow Tylenol, the pill dissolves and gets absorbed into your bloodstream. But your body can’t fully use it yet. So the liver steps in.
👉 What the liver does: The liver chemically changes acetaminophen into metabolites — smaller, usable forms that your body can actually work with to reduce pain and fever.

​Excretion —

Definition: How the drug leaves the body.

Examples: Kidneys removing drugs through urine
Some drugs leaving through feces, sweat, or breath

Key idea: Healthy kidneys = faster removal.

Match

Match the following

• Absorption

• Metabolism

• Excretion

• Distribution

How the drug enters the bloodstream.

How the body breaks down the drug.

How the drug is eliminated from the body.

How the drug is spread throughout the body.

• How the drug enters the bloodstream.

• How the body breaks down the drug.

• How the drug is eliminated from the body.

• How the drug is spread throughout the body.