title: Quinidine dosage, with special reference to an oral loading dose schedule.
abstract: 1 Plasma concentrations of quinidine were analyzed in 52 cardiac patients after different oral loading doses and during different maintenance dosage intervals using both conventional and sustained release preparations of quinidine. 2 The majority of patients reached therapeutic plasma concentrations in the order of 2--4 microgram/ml within 3 h after the loading dose of 600--800 mg of rapidly absorbed ordinary quinidine sulphate tablets and institution of maintenance therapy with sustained release tablets 1 h after the loading dose. 3 The dosage interval of 12 h during maintenance therapy with sustained release tablets gave as acceptable plasma drug fluctuations as an 8 h interval. 4 A large individual variation in plasma concentrations was noticed. Thus monitoring of therapy by plasma concentration analyses is desirable.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011802:Quinidine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D011802:Quinidine