Okuzeka
Pharmacy & Pharmacology vocabulary · Pharmacokinetics

Steady state

Meaning in pharmacy & pharmacology, with examples

nounAdvanced term

In pharmacy & pharmacology, steady state means: The 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.

In Turkish: kararlı durum, kararlı durum konsantrasyonu

How it is used

Reached after about four to five half-lives. This is why some drugs take days or weeks to show their full effect, and why blood levels are often measured only once steady state has been reached. Typical phrases are 'reach steady state' and 'steady-state concentration'.

Example sentences

  1. Wait until the drug reaches steady state before you check the level.

  2. With a half-life of 36 hours, it takes about a week to reach steady state.

Common collocations

  • reach steady state
  • steady-state concentration
  • at steady state
  • time to steady state
  • half-lifeThe time it takes for the amount or concentration of a drug in the blood to fall to half of its starting level.
  • loading doseA 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.
  • maintenance doseThe regular dose given after the start of treatment to keep the drug at a steady, effective level in the body over time.
  • plasma concentrationThe amount of a drug in a given volume of blood plasma at a particular time, used to describe how a drug behaves and to check that levels are safe.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Pharmacokinetics

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level:

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