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The extent of the body's response to a drug depends on the
amount administered, called the dose. At a low dose, no response
may be apparent. A higher dose, however, may produce the desired
effect. An even higher dose may produce an undesirable or harmful
response. For example, to relieve a headache most adults require
two tablets of aspirin. A half tablet may provide no relief from
pain while ten tablets may cause burning pain in the stomach or
nausea.
The doses prescribed by physicians are those recommended by each
drug's manufacturer to produce the best therapeutic, or medically
beneficial, responses in the majority of patients. However, doses
may need to be adjusted in certain individuals. For example, a person
may be born without the enzyme required to metabolize a particular
drug while other individuals may suffer from lung disorders that
prevent them from absorbing inhaled drugs. Factors such as alcohol
consumption, age, the method of drug administration, and whether
or not the individual has taken the drug previously can affect an
individual's response to a drug.
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