Influence of prolonged submaximal exercise on the pharmacokinetics of verapamil in humans

The influence of prolonged submaximal exercise on the pharmacokinetics of verapamil was studied in normal volunteers both after i.v. injections of 0.13 mg/kg body weight as well as after one oral dose of 80 mg of the calcium entry blocker. Each dose was given on a rest day and on an exercise day. On the rest day, the terminal phase half-life (t1/2) of verapamil averaged 161 +/- 23 min after i.v. injection of the drug. The total clearance was 772 +/- 125 ml/min, and the area volume of distribution was 198 +/- 53 L. These parameters were not altered on the exercise day. Neither did exercise have any influence on the pharmacokinetic parameters determined after oral application of verapamil. This study shows that prolonged submaximal exercise has no influence on the pharmacokinetics of verapamil.