Article / Updated 03-26-2016
As you dive deeper into the field of biostatistics, you'll need to develop a firm understanding of pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) and the differences between the two.
The term pharmacokinetics (PK) refers to the study of
How fast and how completely the drug is absorbed into the body (from the stomach and intestines if it's an oral drug)
How the drug becomes distributed through the various body tissues and fluids, called body compartments (blood, muscle, fatty tissue, cerebrospinal fluid, and so on)
To what extent (if any) the drug is metabolized (chemically modified) by enzymes produced in the liver and other organs
How rapidly the drug is eliminated from the body (usually via urine, feces, and other routes)
The term pharmacodynamics (PD) refers to the study of
The relationship between the concentration of the drug in the body and the biological and physiological effects of the drug on the body or on other organisms (bacteria, parasites, and so forth) on or in the body.