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Pharmacy & Pharmacology vocabulary · Prescriptions and Dosing

Loading dose

Meaning in pharmacy & pharmacology, with examples

nounCommon term

In pharmacy & pharmacology, loading dose means: A larger first dose, or a few larger doses, given at the start of treatment to bring the drug quickly to an effective level in the blood.

In Turkish: yükleme dozu

How it is used

Used mainly for drugs with a long half-life that would otherwise take days or weeks to reach steady state, such as amiodarone or digoxin, and in emergencies. After the loading dose the patient continues on a lower maintenance dose. Pharmacists check that the two are not confused on the chart.

Example sentences

  1. The patient was given a loading dose of digoxin in the emergency department.

  2. Make sure the loading dose isn't repeated tomorrow by mistake.

Common collocations

  • give a loading dose
  • loading dose of
  • followed by a maintenance dose
  • oral loading dose
  • maintenance doseThe regular dose given after the start of treatment to keep the drug at a steady, effective level in the body over time.
  • doseThe amount of a medicine taken or given at one time, such as one tablet, two puffs of an inhaler or 5 millilitres of a liquid.
  • half-lifeThe time it takes for the amount or concentration of a drug in the blood to fall to half of its starting level.
  • steady stateThe point during regular dosing when the amount of drug entering the body equals the amount being removed, so blood levels stay within a stable range.

More terms: Prescriptions and Dosing

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.