Parameter optimisation in clinical pharmacokinetics.

This paper describes a package of computer programs designed to be used in Clinical Pharmacokinetics or Clinical Chemistry Laboratories to assist in the interpretation of plasma drug concentration measurements. A simple pharmacokinetic model is utilised, and values of the necessary parameters for the general population determined using standard nomograms. Parameter estimates for individual patients are obtained by a feedback process using Bayes' theorem and the principle of maximum likelihood. Thus optimal dosage regimes can be obtained for individual patients. The package can be used with a series of drugs.