What is the process of gradually increasing a medication dose over time called?

• A. Titration/dose escalation
• B. Tolerance
• C. Step-up therapy
• D. Dose rounding

Answer: (A)

Gradually increasing a medication dose over time is called titration, or dose escalation. The idea is to start with a low dose and incrementally raise it at planned intervals while watching how the patient responds, aiming to reach a target therapeutic effect without causing unacceptable side effects. Tolerance is a physiological change where the body becomes less responsive to a drug, often requiring larger doses to achieve the same effect, but it isn’t a planned step-by-step dose adjustment. Step-up therapy refers to moving to stronger or additional treatments as needed, not simply increasing the dose of a single drug. Dose rounding is adjusting a dose to a convenient or standard amount and does not involve increasing exposure over time.