Extraction ratio well-stirred model

Figure 7 Influence of changes in (a) organ blood flow on clearance, (b) fraction of the drug unbound in plasma (/u) on extraction ratio, and (c) intrinsic clearance on extraction ratio as predicted by the well-stirred model of hepatic clearance.

It has been demonstrated that hepatic extraction ratio (ER) is also influenced by blood flow. A number of mathematical models have been proposed to explain this observation, but the simplest model, and the one that is easiest to apply to clinical practice, is the well stirred or venous equilibrium model (Equation 5.3). This model relates hepatic clearance to hepatic blood flow (Q), the fraction of drug concentration that is unbound in plasma (fu) and the intrinsic clearance of the unbound drug (Clyint) [1]. Intrinsic clearance represents the maximum clearance of drug in the absence of any restrictions caused by blood flow, binding or access to the metabolising enzymes. The model states that ... 

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