Pharmacology in Acute Care: Scientific Foundations and Clinical Challenges

Hasanvand, Amin

doi:10.22087/ijac.2026.575293.1098

Pharmacology in Acute Care: Scientific Foundations and Clinical Challenges

Document Type : Comment

Author

Amin Hasanvand

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.

10.22087/ijac.2026.575293.1098

Abstract

Acute care environments, including emergency departments, intensive care units, and postoperative settings, require rapid, precise, and evidence-based pharmacological decision-making. Patients in these settings often experience hemodynamic instability, multi-organ dysfunction, and complex polypharmacy, which can significantly alter drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Understanding these alterations is essential for optimizing therapeutic efficacy and minimizing adverse effects. Drugs with high hepatic metabolism, such as phenytoin and propofol, may accumulate in patients with liver impairment, whereas renally excreted agents, including aminoglycosides, require careful dose adjustment in patients with acute kidney injury. Polypharmacy further complicates the management of these patients, increasing the risk of drug–drug interactions and iatrogenic complications. Critical interventions, such as vasopressor administration in septic shock or antiarrhythmic therapy for acute arrhythmias, require the integration of pharmacological knowledge with real-time clinical assessment to achieve safe and effective outcomes. Tables summarizing pharmacokinetic considerations and high-risk drug interactions provide concise reference tools for clinicians in acute care settings. Emerging fields, including pharmacogenetics and precision medicine, offer the potential to individualize therapy based on genetic profiles and dynamic patient status, thereby enhancing safety and therapeutic accuracy. This commentary emphasizes that success in acute care pharmacology depends not only on understanding drug mechanisms but also on rapid and informed clinical decision-making. Integrating pharmacological expertise with acute care practice represents a vital convergence of science and clinical art that directly influences patient survival and recovery outcomes.

Keywords

Acute Care

Pharmacology

Drug Interactions

Precision Medicine

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