What does "titration" refer to in drug dosing?

Titration in drug dosing specifically refers to the process of adjusting the dose of a medication gradually to achieve the desired therapeutic effect while minimizing potential side effects. This approach is crucial in clinical practice, particularly for medications with narrow therapeutic windows or those that may cause significant adverse effects. By starting with a lower dose and slowly increasing it, practitioners can closely monitor the patient's response and adjust accordingly, ensuring optimal efficacy while safeguarding against overdose or intolerable side effects.

Other options describe aspects of drug administration or pharmacokinetics but do not capture the essence of titration in drug dosing. Administering a drug at a fixed dose does not allow for adjustments based on individual patient responses. Measuring drug levels in the bloodstream is related to pharmacokinetics but is not a direct explanation of titration. Calculating a patient's body weight for dosage is a common practice but doesn't pertain to the concept of titration, which focuses more on gradual adjustments rather than initial calculations based on weight.