International journal of clinical pharmacy
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The effects of physiological changes in patients with obesity on pharmacokinetic parameters and the time course of drug response, especially in the field of haematology/oncology, are poorly understood. For some antimicrobial drugs, dosing considerations exist, while for cytostatic drugs, dose modifications for obese patients are not consistently recommended. Glomerular filtration rate and renal perfusion appear to be similar in obese and normal weight individuals, thus elimination of hydrophilic and extensively renally cleared drugs mainly depends upon creatinine clearance. ⋯ Pharmacotherapy in morbidly obese patients undergoing allogenic stem cell transplantation is possible, if pharmacokinetic properties of the drugs are considered and close monitoring of plasma concentrations is performed.