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Pharmacodynamics

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Principles of Forensic Toxicology
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Abstract

Pharmacodynamics involves the effects of drugs and their mechanism of action. These effects can be described on the “macro” level, which pertains to the physiological or biochemical effects that the drugs produce. For example, a drug may lower heart rate and blood pressure or cause a reduction in the inflammatory response. These effects would often be the basis for the therapeutic use or uses of the drug. The study of pharmacodynamics also includes the effects of a drug at the molecular level that is the mechanism of action at the cellular level.

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Further Readings

  • Brunton L, Hilal-Dandan R, Knollman B (eds) (2018) Goodman and Gillman’s the pharmacological basis of therapeutics, 13th edn. McGraw Hill Medical, New York

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  • Kenakin T (2015) The mass action equation in pharmacology. Brit J Clin Pharmacol 81:41–51

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  • Mach RH (2017) Small molecule receptor ligands for PET studies of the central nervous system-focus on G protein coupled receptors. Sem Nucl Med 47:524–535

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  • Thanacoody R (2016) Serotonin syndrome. Medicine 44:95–96

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  • Williams J (2008) Basic opioid pharmacology. Rev Pain 1:2–5

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Correspondence to Barry S. Levine .

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Levine, B.S. (2020). Pharmacodynamics. In: Levine, B.S., KERRIGAN, S. (eds) Principles of Forensic Toxicology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42917-1_8

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