[Pharmacokinetics of two beta blocking drugs: detection of a pharmacogenetic abnormality]

10 healthy male volunteers received orally either 100 mg tolamolol or 20 mg bufuralol. These experiments were repeated by intravenous administration of 10 and 5 mg respectively of these two drugs. Plasma levels of the parent drugs and their main metabolite were measured. In one subject, the apparent half-life of elimination was increased from 2.5 h (normal subjects) to 5 h for both drugs. This prolongation of the half-life is associated with low plasma levels of the metabolites, a peculiarity which can be explanined by a decreased rate of metabolism for these two drugs. This anomaly may explain the marked orthostatic hypotension observed only in this subject. The likelihood of a pharmacogenetic defect is discussed.