Effect of cardiopulmonary bypass on the pharmacokinetics of propranolol and atenolol

The pharmacokinetics of some β-blockers are altered by cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The objective of this study was to compare the effect of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery employing CPB on the pharmacokinetics of propranolol and atenolol. We studied patients receiving oral propranolol with doses ranging from 80 to 240 mg (N = 11) or atenolol with doses ranging from 25 to 100 mg (N = 8) in the pre- and postoperative period of CABG with moderately hypothermic CPB (32°C). On the day before and on the first day after surgery, blood samples were collected before β-blocker administration and every 2 h thereafter. Plasma levels were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography and data were treated by pharmacokinetics-modelling. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA or the Friedman test, as appropriate, and P < 0.05 was considered to be significant. A prolongation of propranolol biological half-life from 5.41 ± 0.75 to 11.46 ± 1.66 h (P = 0.0028) and an increase in propranolol volume of distribution from 8.70 ± 2.83 to 19.33 ± 6.52 L/kg (P = 0.0032) were observed after CABG with CPB. No significant changes were observed in either atenolol biological half-life (from 11.20 ± 1.60 to 11.44 ± 2.89 h) or atenolol volume of distribution (from 2.90 ± 0.36 to 3.83 ± 0.72 L/kg). Total clearance was not changed by surgery. These CPB-induced alterations in propranolol pharmacokinetics may promote unexpected long-lasting effects in the postoperative period while the effects of atenolol were not modified by CPB surgery.

Influência da circulação extracorpórea sobre as concentrações plasmáticas de atenolol / Influence of cardiopulmonary bypass on the plasma concentrations of atenolol

FUNDAMENTO: Os betabloqueadores são usados no tratamento da angina pectoris e outras doenças coronarianas isquêmicas, reduzindo mortalidade e eventos cardiovasculares. O atenolol é um betabloqueador hidrofílico, de absorção gastrointestinal, extensão de distribuição pequena e eliminação função renal-dependente. OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo é o de determinar a variabilidade inter-individual do atenolol em pacientes coronarianos. MÉTODOS: Quantificou-se o atenolol plasmático em 6 amostras sangüíneas coletadas no pré-operatório de sete indivíduos portadores de insuficiência coronariana e indicação cirúrgica de revascularização do miocárdio, tratados cronicamente com atenolol, com doses diárias variando entre 25 a 100 mg PO. Todos os pacientes apresentavam função renal dentro da normalidade ou levemente reduzida. RESULTADOS: As concentrações plasmáticas obtidas evidenciaram decaimento monoexponencial, confirmando que o atenolol apresenta farmacocinética de primeira ordem nas doses empregadas para o controle da insuficiência coronariana grave (médias ± DP): 123 ± 56, 329 ± 96, 288 ± 898, 258 ± 85, 228 ± 79 e 182 ± 73 ng/mL, nos tempos zero, 2, 4, 6, 8 e 12 horas após a administração da dose. Registrou-se pequena variabilidade inter-pacientes nas concentrações plasmáticas de atenolol no grupo investigado tratado em regime de doses múltiplas, devido à característica hidrofílica do fármaco. Registrou-se ainda, maior persistência do atenolol nos pacientes coronarianos investigados, comparado a indivíduos saudáveis. CONCLUSÃO: Em virtude da sua cardioseletividade e baixa variabilidade, sugere-se que o atenolol deve ser empregado como fármaco de primeira escolha para o tratamento da síndrome coronariana aguda e outras doenças cardiovasculares.

BACKGROUND: Betablockers are used in the treatment of angina pectoris and others ischemic coronary diseases, reducing mortality and cardiovascular events. Atenolol is a hydrophilic betablocker which is characterized by gastrointestinal absorption, small extent of distribution and renal function-dependent elimination. OBJECTIVE: The study objective was to determine the inter-individual variability of atenolol in coronary patients. METHODS: Plasma atenolol was quantified in six blood samples collected during the preoperative period from seven patients with coronary insufficiency and surgical indication, chronically treated with atenolol PO 25 to 100 mg/day. All patients presented a normal or slightly reduced renal function. RESULTS: All enrolled patients presented normal or slightly reduced renal function as a result of age and underlying disease. Atenolol plasma concentrations showed a monoexponential decline, confirming the first-order pharmacokinetics at the doses employed for the control of coronary insufficiency (mean ± SD): 123 ± 56, 329 ± 96, 288 ± 898, 258 ± 85, 228 ± 79 and 182 ± 73 ng/ml at times zero, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12h after dose administration. The investigated group showed a small inter-patient variability of atenolol administrated at multiple regimens due to the hydrophilic characteristic of the drug. Furthermore, accumulation of atenolol administered chronically was greater in coronary patients, compared to healthy subjects. CONCLUSION: In view of its cardio-selectivity and low-variability, atenolol should be used as the first-choice drug for the treatment of acute coronary syndrome and other cardiovascular diseases.

Bioequivalence study of generic atenolol tablets in healthy Thai volunteers.

Two preparations of 50 mg and 100 mg atenolol tablets were evaluated for their bioequivalence in twelve healthy Thai subjects (Prenolol, Berlin Pharmaceutical Industry, as the test formulations vs Tenormin, Zeneca Limited, as the reference formulations). A single oral dose of each preparation was administered in a randomized two-way crossover design, starting from either 50 mg of Prenolol vs Tenormin, thereafter, either 100 mg of Prenolol vs Tenormin. The washout period between each treatment was one week. Atenolol plasma concentrations were determined by the HPLC technique with fluorometric detection. Pharmacokinetic parameters were analyzed by the noncompartmental pharmacokinetic method using TOPFIT. The means and parametric 90 per cent confidence intervals of the ratio [Prenolol/Tenormin] of AUC0-infinity and Cmax were 1.16 (1.05-1.27) and 1.23 (1.07-1.38) for 50 mg preparations and 1.10 (1.00-1.20) and 1.13 (0.95-1.31) for 100 mg preparations, respectively. These values were well within the acceptable bioequivalence ranges. The mean differences of Tmax [Prenolol-Tenormin] were less than 20 per cent for both 50 mg and 100 mg preparations. Hence, Prenolol and Tenormin were bioequivalent with respect to the rate and extent of absorption.

Nifedipina de liberación sostenida & atenolol: correlación entre niveles plasmáticos y eficacia clínica / Sustained release nifedipine & atenolol: correlation between plasma levels and clinical efficacy

La combinación de antagonistas de los canales lentos del calcio y agentes de bloqueo betaadrenérgico presentan una serie de ventajas para el tratamiento de la hipertensión.Existen, sin embargo, algunos inconvenientes farmacocinéticos de los componentes que han sido estudiados ampliamente en voluntarios sanos, pero no en pacientes hipertensos.Para dilucidar este punto se ha diseñado el presente estudio.Se estudiaron 26 pacientes hipertensos durante 3 meses a los cuales se les administró la combinación: atenolol 50 mg (ATL) más nifedipina de liberación sostenida 20 mg (NLS).Se realizó el seguimiento clínico, de laboratorio y de niveles plasmáticos de los fármacos.Se correlacionaron estos niveles con diferentes parámetros clínicos y metabólicos.La combinación fija de ATL+NLS presentó una eficacia similar a la ya comunicada por diversos autores y niveles plasmáticos al estado de equilibrio que permiten un adecuado control recíproco de los efectos colaterales cardiovasculares.La falta de efecto sobre los lípidos de la sangre es un elemento favorable, a confirmar, de esta combinación