Epinine Kinetics and Plasma Catecholamine Changes Following Oral Administration of the Prodrug Ibopamine in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure

Abstract

Epinine plasma levels, and Epinine - induced plasma Catecholamine changes were investigated in nine patients with chronic heart failure (NYHA class I and II), following oral administration of Ibopamine 100 mg. Norepinephrine, Epinephrine, Dopamine, and Epinine plasma levels were monitored for up to four hours after the drug administration. Arterial pressure and heart rate were recorded, too. Epinine plasma levels were lower than previously estimated, the maximal individual level ranging from 2792 to 7228 pg/mL. Both Norepinephrine and Epinephrine showed a very small decrease (less than 18%) after Ibopamine administration. No changes were shown in arterial pressure and heart rate. Previous assessment of Epinine pharmacokinetics is likely to be reviewed extensively owing to possible overestimation by assay methods used in former studies. Epinine - induced plasma Catecholamine changes may be mediated by (i) the claimed hemodynamic effect of the drug, and/or (ii) by the complex interrelationships between Epinine itself and both adrenergic and dopaminergic receptors.