Pharmacokinetics of esmolol in hepatic disease.

Esmolol is an intravenous beta blocker with a short duration of action. The pharmacokinetics of esmolol and its acid metabolite, ASL-8123, were studied in nine patients who had stable, biopsy-proved Laennec's cirrhosis and in three normal volunteer controls. Kinetics were determined after a four-hour continuous infusion of esmolol at a rate of 200 micrograms/kg/min.

Pharmacokinetics of esmolol in anesthetized patients receiving chronic beta blocker therapy.

The pharmacokinetics of esmolol, a new, ultra-short-acting beta adrenergic blocking drug, were studied in 19 patients undergoing coronary artery surgery. Esmolol was administered as a continuous infusion, and blood concentrations were measured at intervals up to 40 min after discontinuation of the infusion. In all patients, a bi-exponential equation best described the esmolol concentration--time curve.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of flestolol, a new short-acting, beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist.

The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of flestolol, a new short-acting, beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist, were examined in nine healthy subjects after a constant intravenous infusion of 5 micrograms/kg/min for 72 hours. Flestolol blood levels were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. In all subjects, flestolol blood concentration attained steady state 30 minutes after initiation of infusion.

Liquid-chromatographic analysis for esmolol and its major metabolite in urine.

We describe a simple, reproducible liquid-chromatographic method for determination of esmolol (a short-acting beta blocker) and its major metabolite in human urine. Esmolol is extracted from urine at a pH of 8.4 into methylene chloride; the more polar metabolite remains in the aqueous phase.