What is a potential risk when drug concentrations are too high in patients?

When drug concentrations in a patient's system are too high, the primary concern is the potential for increased side effects and adverse reactions. This situation arises because many medications have a therapeutic window, which is the range of drug concentration in the bloodstream that provides therapeutic effects without causing toxicity. When drug levels exceed this window, there is a heightened risk of experiencing side effects, which can range from mild symptoms to serious adverse reactions.

For example, in the context of psychotropic medications, elevated levels might lead to symptoms such as sedation, cognitive impairment, or even more severe issues like seizures or serotonin syndrome, depending on the specific medication involved.

This understanding underscores the importance of monitoring drug levels, especially for medications with narrow therapeutic indices, to ensure they remain within a safe and effective range. While increased medication adherence and improved drug efficacy are generally desirable outcomes in treatment, they can be compromised when high drug concentrations lead to side effects that patients may find intolerable, consequently affecting their willingness to continue the medication.