ASCP Phlebotomy Technician Certification Practice Exam 2026 - Free Phlebotomy Practice Questions and Study Guide

Therapeutic drug monitoring is a clinical practice used to measure specific drugs at designated intervals to maintain a relatively constant concentration in a patient’s bloodstream, ensuring the drug's effectiveness while minimizing toxicity. This monitoring is particularly crucial for drugs that have a narrow therapeutic index, such as certain antibiotics.

In the context of antibiotic therapy, therapeutic drug monitoring becomes essential. Some antibiotics, like vancomycin or aminoglycosides, require careful measurement of drug levels in the blood to guide dosing to ensure therapeutic efficacy without reaching toxic levels. Monitoring enables healthcare providers to adjust dosages based on how the drug is metabolized and eliminated in each individual, especially considering factors like age, weight, kidney function, and other medications the patient may be taking. Thus, the association of therapeutic drug monitoring with antibiotic therapy is well established.

The other conditions listed—such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma—are generally managed using guidelines and regular assessments rather than through the direct measurement of specific drugs in the bloodstream at set intervals, making the monitoring of therapeutics in antibiotic therapy the most relevant choice.