PHARMACOKINETICS OF ATRACURIUM BESYLATE IN HEALTHY PATIENTS (AFTER A SINGLE I.V. BOLUS DOSE)

The plasma decay of atracurium besylate was examined in two groups of six patients. Group I received atracurium 0.6 mg kg−1 and group II 0.3 mg kg−1 as a single bolus dose i.v. The plasma concentrations were measured by high performance liquid chromatography. An individual two-compartment pharmacokinetic model was used for interpretation. The results from the two groups were not significantly different, giving overall mean values of 2 min (±0.2 SEM) for the distribution half-life (Ttα), 19.9 min (±0.6) for the elimination half-hie (Ttβ), 5.5 ml min−1 kg−1 (±0.2) for total clearance (CI) and 157 mlkg−1 (±7) for total distribution volume (V ares).