title: Pharmacokinetics of intravenously and orally administered sotalol hydrochloride in horses and effects on surface electrocardiogram and left ventricular systolic function.
abstract: Arrhythmias are common in horses. Some, such as frequent atrial or ventricular premature beats, may require long-term anti-arrhythmic therapy. In humans and small animals, sotalol hydrochloride (STL) is often used for chronic oral anti-arrhythmic therapy. STL prolongs repolarization and the effective refractory period in all cardiac tissues. No information on STL pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics in horses is available and the aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of intravenously (IV) and orally (PO) administered STL and the effects on surface electrocardiogram and left ventricular systolic function. Six healthy horses were given 1 mg STL/kg bodyweight either IV or PO. Blood samples to determine plasma STL concentrations were taken before and at several time points after STL administration. Electrocardiography and echocardiography were performed at different time points before and after IV STL administration. Mean peak plasma concentrations after IV and PO administration of STL were 1624 ng/mL and 317 ng/mL, respectively. The oral bioavailability was intermediate (48%) with maximal absorption after 0.94 h, a moderate distribution and a mean elimination half-life of 15.24 h. After IV administration, there was a significant increase in QT interval, but no significant changes in other electrocardiographic and echocardiographic parameters. Transient transpiration was observed after IV administration, but no adverse effects were noted after a single oral dose of 1 mg/kg STL in any of the horses. It was concluded that STL has an intermediate oral bioavailability in the horse and might be useful in the treatment of equine arrhythmias.
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. Electronic address: Barbara.Broux@UGent.be.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Broux
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Clercq
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Decloedt
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Baere
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Devreese
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Van Der Vekens
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ven
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Croubels
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: van Loon
mesh_terms: D061605:Administration, Intravenous / Q000662:veterinary; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D001682:Biological Availability; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects / Q000662:veterinary*; D006736:Horses / Q000378:metabolism*; D013015:Sotalol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D013015:Sotalol
keywords: Anti-arrhythmic drugs; Arrhythmia; Atrial fibrillation; Bioavailability; Torsades de pointes