1. C
The AUC (area under the curve) best describes the overall exposure of a person to a given drug
over the course of the dosing interval. It describes the concentration of drug integrated over the
period assessed, usually the dosing interval. A (C max) is not correct, as C max gives the
maximum concentration achieved but does not reveal how long measurable concentrations of the
drug were present or how long until this concentration was achieved. B (T max) only refers to the
time until the maximum concentration is achieved, again not giving a reference to overall
exposure over time. D (half-life) simply describes how much time is required for the
concentration to decrease by one-half. Finally, clearance (E) is the volume of fluid (usually
plasma) from which drug can be removed per unit of time and as such does not define exposure