Ketorolac metabolism and excretion involve which pattern?

Ketorolac metabolism and excretion involve which pattern?

• A. Renal metabolism; excreted via bile
• B. Metabolized in lung; excreted via urine
• C. Hepatic metabolism; excreted in feces
• D. Hepatic metabolism; excreted primarily via kidneys; approx 60% unchanged in urine

Answer: (D)

Ketorolac is processed by the liver and eliminated mainly by the kidneys. The drug undergoes hepatic metabolism, and a substantial portion is excreted in the urine, with about 60% of the dose recovered unchanged in the urine. This means the renal system handles a large share of elimination, even though the drug is first metabolized in the liver. The other patterns (renal metabolism with bile excretion, lung metabolism with urine excretion, or hepatic metabolism with fecal excretion) don’t fit ketorolac’s pharmacokinetics.

Ketorolac is processed by the liver and eliminated mainly by the kidneys. The drug undergoes hepatic metabolism, and a substantial portion is excreted in the urine, with about 60% of the dose recovered unchanged in the urine. This means the renal system handles a large share of elimination, even though the drug is first metabolized in the liver. The other patterns (renal metabolism with bile excretion, lung metabolism with urine excretion, or hepatic metabolism with fecal excretion) don’t fit ketorolac’s pharmacokinetics.