[Pharmacokinetics of etomidate in man (author's transl)]

The pharmacokinetic behaviour of etomidate was investigated in 7 patients. A method for the analysis of etomidate is described using gas-liquid chromatography for separation and alkali flame ionization detection. The lower limit of detection for etomidate in plasma was 0.005 microgram/ml. The pharmacokinetic behaviour of etomidate after an intravenous bolus injection of 20 mg may be described in terms of an open two-compartment model. The plasma half-life of etomidate was in the alpha-phase about 3 minutes, the biological half-life of the beta-phase was about 70 minutes. The total volume of distribution was calculated at 165 litres. The total plasma clearance amounted to 1600 ml/min. These pharmacokinetic data were used to establish an intravenous infusion scheme for etomidate.