Pharmacokinetics of diclofenac after oral administration of its potassium salt in sachet and tablet formulations.

This paper reports the results of a pharmacokinetic study involving 24 healthy volunteers and designed to characterise the rate and extent of diclofenac absorption after the administration of a single dose of diclofenac (CAS 15307-86-5) potassium salt 50 mg in sachet (Voltfast) and tablet (Cataflam) formulations. Timed plasma concentrations of diclofenac during a 12-h-period after dosing were measured by means of HPLC with UV detection at 275 nm and a quantification limit of 10 ng/ml; the method was fully validated for pharmacokinetic purposes. These plasma concentrations were used to calculate Cmax, tmax, trapezoidal AUC0-t and AUC0-infinity and t1/2 by means of noncompartmental analysis.

Ibopamine as a substitute for digitalis in patients with congestive heart failure on chronic digoxin therapy. Smith Kline and French Ibopamine Group.

The substitution of digoxin with ibopamine, a new inotropic and vasodilating agent, was evaluated in a multicenter study in 58 patients with mild-to-moderate congestive heart failure, stabilized on diuretics, and digoxin therapy. The study was a parallel, double-blind, randomized trial of four weeks duration in which half of the group continued the pre-study medication (diuretics and digoxin) and half of the group was treated with diuretics and ibopamine (100 mg, three times a day). At baseline evaluation, the two groups were similar for age, sex, underlying cardiac disease, duration of congestive heart failure, symptom score, cardiothoracic ratio, echocardiographic parameters of left ventricular function and exercise tolerance as measured by bicycle ergometry.

Ibopamine: long-term safety study in patients with congestive heart failure. The Italian Ibopamine Working Group.

Ibopamine is a new orally active dopamine analogue with positive inotropic and vasodilating activity. The tolerability of the drug administered at the dose of 100 mg thrice daily for 12 months was studied in 302 patients with congestive heart failure, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II and III. Of the 302 patients, 198 completed the study (65%); 59 patients (19%) were withdrawn for clinical events; 27 of them died (9%); 35 patients (12%) did not complete the study for non-compliance and 10 (3%) for protocol violations.

Unpredictable central nervous system effects after lorazepam premedication for neurosurgery.

Administration of lorazepam for preanaesthetic medication is generally expected to produce amnesic action. We conducted two studies to evaluate the relationship of plasma levels of lorazepam with its clinical effects. Forty patients, receiving 0.

Ventricular fluid pressure in neurosurgical patients receiving intravenous lorazepam for premedication.

The effect of 0.05 and 0.03 mg/kg of intravenously administered lorazepam on the ventricular fluid pressure (VFP) was recorded continuously for 45-90 minutes in 13 wakeful spontaneously breathing unanaesthetized patients with hydrocephalus.