Pharmacokinetics of pancuronium in man: a linear system

Pancuronium in bolus doses of 40 to 350 microgram/kg was administered to surgical patients in order to evaluate the linearity of its pharmacokinetics. The profile of the plasma decay curve and of its urinary elimination were compared with reference to the administered dose. It was possible to superimpose the dose-normalized plasma decay-curves. The parameters of the two compartment-open model used to describe the pharmacokinetics of pancuronium were not influenced by the dose. The elimination half-life was 89 +/- 20 min and the plasma clearance was 1.84 +/- 0.38 ml/min/kg. The profiles of cumulative urinary excretion were also dose-independent. After 6 and 24 h, 57% and 69% of the administered dose, respectively, had been excreted in the urine. The results indicate that the pharmacokinetics of pancuronium is linear.