Is activated charcoal helpful in the treatment of overdosages (ODs) with tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)?
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to R I Shader.
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Forty healthy men and women 19 to 80 years old received a single 10 mg oral dose of the 7-nitro benzodiazepine nitrazepam. Nitrazepam plasma concentrations were measured during the next 72 hours. Among men, the elderly had a larger volume of distribution (Varea) than did younger subjects (1.96 vs. 1.63 L/kg; P less than 0.05); because clearance did not change with age (0.84 vs. 0.95 ml/min/kg), the prolonged t1/2 in elderly men (28 vs. 20 hours; P less than 0.01) was a result of the larger Varea. Elderly and young women did not differ in nitrazepam Varea (2.58 vs. 2.55 L/kg), t1/2 (26 vs. 27 hours), or total clearance (1.19 vs. 1.09 ml/min/kg). The nitrazepam free fraction in plasma (18% to 19% unbound) was not related to age or sex. Among 18 subjects who also received antipyrine, the clearance of nitrazepam and antipyrine were not correlated (r = 0.23). Thus age minimally influences nitrazepam clearance (accomplished mainly by nitroreduction), which in turn is not significantly related to antipyrine oxidizing capacity.
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Healthy volunteers received single doses of three benzodiazepines (diazepam, 10 mg i.v.; alprazolam, 1.0 mg orally; lorazepam, 2 mg i.v.) on two occasions in random sequence. One trial was a control; for the other, subjects ingested propoxyphene, 65 mg every 6 h, for the duration of the benzodiazepine study. The kinetics of each benzodiazepine were determined from multiple plasma concentrations measured following each dose. For diazepam, propoxyphene produced a small and statistically insignificant prolongation of elimination half-life (43 vs 38 h) and reduction of total clearance (0.41 vs 0.47 ml min-1 kg-1). Propoxyphene significantly prolonged alprazolam half-life (18 vs 12 h, P less than 0.005) and reduced total clearance (0.8 vs 1.3 ml min-1 kg-1, P less than 0.005). Propoxyphene had no apparent influence on lorazepam half-life (13.4 vs 13.5 h) or clearance (1.5 vs 1.4 ml min-1 kg-1). Thus propoxyphene significantly impairs the clearance of alprazolam, biotransformed mainly by the oxidative reaction of aliphatic hydroxylation. Propoxyphene has far less effect on the oxidation of diazepam by N-demethylation, and has no apparent influence on lorazepam conjugation.
A series of 42 healthy male and female volunteers aged 21 to 89 years received a single 1200 mg oral dose of oxaprozin. Kinetics were determined from multiple plasma oxaprozin concentrations measured by h.p.l.c. during 14 days after the dose. Peak plasma oxaprozin concentrations were reached between 3 and 6 h after dosage the majority of subjects, probably reflecting slow absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. Elimination also was slow with a mean half-life of 59 h (range 36 to 92 h). Owing in part to extensive protein binding (mean free fraction 0.0023%), oxaprozin distribution was limited, with apparent volume of distribution averaging 0.25 l/kg. Apparent volume of distribution declined with increasing age, probably reflecting the reduction in lean mass relative to total weight that occurs in the elderly. Total apparent oxaprozin clearance declined with age in men (r = -0.58, P less than 0.01), but was not significantly related to age in women (r = -0.25, NS). This is consistent with the previously described gender-specific reduction in hepatic oxidizing capacity association with increasing age. Thus oxaprozin is a slowly eliminated nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent that should be suitable for once daily or every other day administration.
Two patients treated with alprazolam had histories suggestive of a bipolar disorder and developed lithium-responsive manic episodes. The authors caution that treatment with alprazolam may be complicated by the induction of mania.
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Forty-six healthy male and female volunteers aged 21 to 88 received single 12.5-mg i.v. doses of imipramine, and 35 of these people received single 50-mg p.o. imipramine doses on a different occasion. Thirty-five similar volunteers received single 50-mg p.o. desipramine doses. Among these subjects 25 participated in studies of both imipramine and desipramine. Kinetic variables for the respective drugs were determined from multiple plasma drug concentrations from samples obtained during 96 hr after the dosage. Imipramine half-life was markedly prolonged in elderly vs. young males (28.6 vs. 16.5 hr; P less than .001) and females (30.2 vs. 17.8 hr; P less than .01) due to decreased clearance (males: 567 vs. 945 ml/min, P less than .01; females: 599 vs. 975 ml/min, P less than .005) with no change in volume of distribution. After p.o. imipramine doses time to peak imipramine concentration was shorter in elderly females (2.1 vs. 4.8 hr; P less than .005) but no different in males. Peak concentration achieved was greater in the elderly of both sexes (males: 40.2 vs. 19.5 ng/ml, P less than .005; females: 44.7 vs. 10.4 ng/ml, P less than .01). Comparison of p.o. and i.v. imipramine doses indicated no difference in absolute bioavailability between the elderly and young of either sex. In contrast, after p.o. desipramine more limited age-related changes were noted. Desipramine half-life was slightly prolonged in elderly males (30.8 vs. 21.2 hr; P less than .05) apparently related to a nonsignificant decrease in p.o. clearance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Eleven subjects received acetaminophen (650 mg i.v.) on two occasions in random sequence, with and without concurrent administration of probenecid (500 mg) every 6 hr. Nine subjects similarly received lorazepam (2 mg. i.v.) with and without concurrent probenecid. Acetaminophen half-life was prolonged during probenecid treatment (mean +/- S.E., 4.30 +/- 0.23 vs. 2.51 +/- 0.16 hr; P less than .001) due to markedly decreased clearance (178 +/- 13 vs. 329 +/- 24 ml/min; P less than .001) with no change in volume of distribution (65 +/- 4 vs. 69 +/- 3 l; NS). Urinary excretion of acetaminophen glucuronide during 24 hr was decreased (84 +/- 9 vs. 260 +/- 21 mg of acetaminophen as glucuronide; P less than .001) and acetaminophen sulfate excretion was increased (323 +/- 25 vs. 217 +/- 17 mg of acetaminophen as sulfate; P less than .005) during concurrent probenecid treatment. However, the sum of the two conjugated metabolites was not significantly different (407 +/- 28 vs. 476 +/- 20 mg of acetaminophen as glucuronide plus sulfate excreted per 24 hr; NS). Lorazepam half-life was also prolonged during probenecid treatment (33.0 +/- 3.9 vs. 14.3 +/- 1.08 hr; P less than .001) due to decreased clearance (44.7 +/- 5.4 vs. 80.3 +/- 13.2 ml/min; P less than .001) with no change in volume of distribution (111 +/- 5 vs. 111 +/- 7 l; NS). Formation of the ether glucuronides of acetaminophen and lorazepam is impaired markedly by therapeutic doses of probenecid. Sulfate conjugation is not affected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Cimetidine is known to impair the hepatic microsomal oxidation of diazepam, reducing its clearance and prolonging its half-life. We studied the clinical importance of this effect in 10 patients, who were receiving long-term treatment with diazepam for anxiety, tension, or difficulty in sleeping, in an eight-week double-blind controlled study during which the diazepam dosage remained constant. The study was in four two-week phases: base-line or adaptation, coadministration of cimetidine (300 mg) or matching placebo four times daily, crossover to the opposite treatment (placebo or cimetidine), and recovery treatment with diazepam alone. During the cimetidine phase, plasma concentrations of diazepam plus desmethyldiazepam rose an average of 57 per cent (P less than 0.005), then fell when cimetidine was withdrawn. However, there were no significant changes in scores on the digit-symbol-substitution test, a tracking task, or a reaction-time test. Clinical self-ratings indicated no increases in sedation, fatigue, or drowsiness. Patients experienced shortening of sleep latency (P less than 0.05) and an increase in self-rated depth or soundness of sleep (P less than 0.001) during the cimetidine period, but there were no changes in sleep duration or in the number of nocturnal awakenings. Although coadministration of cimetidine to diazepam-treated patients causes a large increase in plasma diazepam and desmethyldiazepam concentrations, the increase is of minimal clinical importance.
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The influence of cimetidine coadministration, 300 mg every 6 hours, on the kinetics of single oral doses of oxazepam (30 mg), lorazepam (2 mg), and flurazepam (30 mg) was evaluated in healthy volunteers. Cimetidine had no significant effect on the peak plasma concentration or the time of peak concentration for either oxazepam, lorazepam, or desalkylflurazepam (formed from flurazepam). Cimetidine likewise did not alter the elimination half-life of oxazepam (9.4 hours) or lorazepam (11.6 hours), and did not change total AUC for lorazepam. Oxazepam AUC was increased an average of 10 per cent by cimetidine (P less than 0.02). In contrast, cimetidine prolonged desalkylflurazepam elimination half-life (141 vs. 94 hours, P less than 0.1) and increased AUC an average of 65 per cent (P less than 0.05). Thus, cimetidine has little or no influence on the absorption or disposition of oxazepam and lorazepam, two benzodiazepines biotransformed by glucuronide conjugation. However, cimetidine slows the elimination of flurazepam's metabolite, desalkylflurazepam, which is biotransformed by oxidation.
The possible kinetic interaction of the hypnotic temazepam and the H2-receptor antagonist cimetidine was evaluated. Nine healthy male and female volunteers received a 30-mg oral dose of temazepam on two occasions in random sequence, separated by at least 1 week. On one occasion, temazepam was given in the otherwise drug-free state; on the other, temazepam was given with concurrent administration of cimetidine, 300 mg every 6 h. Mean pharmacokinetic parameters for temazepam in control versus cimetidine trials were: peak plasma concentration, 560 versus 498 ng/mL; time of peak concentration, 2.0 versus 2.1 h after the dose; volume of distribution, 1.30 versus 1.39 L/kg; elimination half-life, 9.9 versus 11.4 h; total clearance, 1.59 versus 1.60 mL/min/kg; free fraction of temazepam in plasma, 4.1 versus 3.8% unbound. Cimetidine has been shown to reduce the metabolic clearance of the benzodiazepines that are biotransformed by oxidative mechanisms. Temazepam, transformed by conjugation, appears unaffected by the coadministration of cimetidine.
Differences among various benzodiazepines in onset and intensity of action after single oral doses are not attributable to differences in blood brain barrier permeability. When given parenterally all benzodiazepines rapidly enter brain tissue and have a rapid onset of action, indicating that passage from blood to brain is not the rate-limiting factor (Arendt et al. 1983). Rather it is the difference in rate of absorption - passage from the gastrointestinal tract to systemic blood - that largely determines the onset of action after single oral doses. This difference in absorption rate in turn depends on the relative lipophilicity as well as the characteristics of the pharmaceutical formulation. There are benefits and disadvantages associated with rapid as well as with slow absorption profiles, depending on the clinical situation and the patient's expectations and particular pattern of drug sensitivity. The suggestion that a drug "works promptly but does not produce initial euphoria" is contradictory, since rapid absorption is the mechanism for both of these effects.
Imipramine hydrochloride (IMI) was administered to 12 healthy volunteers on three occasions in random sequence: 12.5 mg IV, 50 mg orally after overnight fast, and 50 mg orally 30 min after eating a standardized breakfast. IMI concentrations were measured by gas-liquid chromatography using nitrogen-phosphorous detection and pharmacokinetic and bioavailability parameters determined by iterative nonlinear least-squares regression analysis. After IV administration, mean kinetic variables were: volume of distribution, 21.0 l/kg; total clearance, 12.8 ml/min per kg, and elimination half-life, 21. h. Mean absolute bioavailability of IMI in the fasting state was 43.6%. When IMI was administered immediately after the standardized meal, absolute bioavailability was 44.1%. After oral administration, the time to peak IMI level was not changed by concurrent food ingestion (2.8 vs 3.2 h after dosage), and the peak IMI concentration was no different (35 vs 30 ng/ml). Thus concurrent food ingestion has no effect on IMI absolute bioavailability, peak concentration attained after oral dosage, or the time to peak concentration.