Which of the following is a potential outcome of exceeding the therapeutic range?

Exceeding the therapeutic range of a medication can lead to a risk of toxicity. The therapeutic range is defined as the concentration of a drug in the bloodstream that is effective without being harmful. When the drug concentration goes beyond this range, it may start to cause harmful effects on the body. Toxicity can manifest in various ways, including severe side effects, organ damage, or even life-threatening conditions, depending on the medication and the individual patient’s response.

In contrast, while enhanced therapeutic effects might seem beneficial, they can be misleading in the context of exceeding the therapeutic range because they often precede adverse reactions. Mild side effects may occur within the therapeutic range and are not indicative of exceeding it. Furthermore, faster metabolism is not directly related to exceeding the therapeutic range; rather, metabolism may be affected by various factors, but it does not inherently result from having more of a drug present in the system. Thus, the most accurate consequence of exceeding the therapeutic range is indeed the increased risk of toxicity.