With normal renal function, the half-life of Cephalexin is:

The half-life of Cephalexin, when renal function is normal, is typically around 1 hour. This relatively short half-life is due to the fact that Cephalexin is primarily eliminated from the body through the kidneys. In a healthy individual, the kidneys efficiently filter and excrete the drug, leading to a quicker reduction in plasma concentrations.

The importance of knowing the half-life is critical in clinical settings, as it helps determine dosing intervals and frequency for effective therapeutic levels while minimizing the risk of toxicity. When the half-life is shorter, it generally indicates that the medication must be administered more frequently to maintain its effectiveness. This is a key consideration in pharmacokinetics, especially in the management of infections where consistent antimicrobial levels are necessary to achieve optimal outcomes.

In conditions of impaired renal function, the half-life of Cephalexin would increase due to decreased clearance, which is important to monitor in patients with renal impairment to avoid drug accumulation and potential toxicity.