Diuretic effect and disposition of furosemide in cystic fibrosis

The pharmacodynamics and kinetics of single oral and intravenous doses of furosemide were studied in 9 patients (mean age 18.5 y) with cystic fibrosis. The diuretic effect of furosemide lasted for 6 h after oral administration and 2 h following intravenous injection of the drug. The patients with cystic fibrosis had a more pronounced diuretic response both to the oral and intravenous treatments than that reported in normals. Furosemide caused a marked decrease in urine pH for 5 h following the oral dose and between the 2nd and 3rd h after i.v. injection. The baseline nocturnal urine flow rate in 7 of the 9 patients given furosemide orally was increased by 30.6% compared to that reported in healthy subjects. The bioavailability of furosemide, its mean absorption rate and the mean plasma and urinary elimination half-lives both of the oral and the intravenous drug were similar to those reported in normal subjects. The patients with cystic fibrosis showed, however, about double normal mean total clearance after both the oral and i.v. treatments, and its renal clearance was almost half the plasma clearance. Nonrenal clearance was markedly increased in the patients, which agreed with a considerable decrease in the renal excretion of the drug. The mean apparent volume of distribution was also markedly increased compared to data in the literature. Oral furosemide resulted in a moderate increase in haematocrit and haemoglobin levels in 7 of 9 patients with cystic fibrosis and marked hypokalemia developed in 6 of the 9 patients 6 h after dosing. Pulmonary function tests performed at that time were changed in an inconsistent manner.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)