A pharmacokinetic evaluation of pravastatin in middle-aged and elderly volunteers.
The pharmacokinetics of pravastatin, a serum-cholesterol-lowering drug, were studied in 20 middle-aged (46-59 years old, n = 8) and elderly subjects (60-81 years old, n = 12). Pravastatin serum levels were determined by HPLC and solid phase extraction. Cmax was 48.9 +/- 7.1 ng/ml (mean +/- SEM, n = 20), and the mean AUC0-4.5h was 104.4 ng x h/ml (n = 5) for a 20 mg daily oral dose. A great interindividual variability was found for Cmax, which varied from 6.2 ng/ml to 117.8 ng/ml on the 20 mg dose. As could be expected, Cmax and AUC0-4.5h were dose-related, but Tmax and t1/2 were not. In six cases, the elimination of the drug in serum could be described by a single phase but in four cases with two phases. No significant difference was found in Cmax between the middle-aged and the elderly or between males and females.
Sigurbjörnsson
S
S
Department of Pharmacology, University of Iceland, Reykjavik.
Kjartansdóttir
T
T
Jóhannsson
M
M
Kristinsson
J
J
Sigurdsson
G
G
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D017035:Pravastatin