Pharmacokinetics of disopyramide in patients with imminent to moderate cardiac failure

The parmacokinetics of disopyramide (DP) in 10 patients with imminent to moderate cardiac failure has been studied and compared with the results in normal volunteers. The biological half life of rapid distribution (T1/2 alpha) and of elimination (T1/2 beta) were increased (11.1 +/- 4.4 min and 9.7 +/- 4.2 h, respectively). Total body clearance (Clt) was decreased (0.467 +/- 0.215 ml . min-1 . kg-1), and the volume of distribution (Vd) was slightly reduced (0.610 +/- 0.1361 . kg-1), probably due to the lower cardiac index. After oral administration, the time of peak serum concentration was increased (139 +/- 89 min), and the mean peak serum concentration (2.4 +/- 0.8% dose . 1-1) was also higher than reported in normal subjects. Comparison of the areas under the concentration versus time curves after intravenous and oral administration (AUC i. v. and AUC oral) showed that DP was almost completely absorbed, its bioavailability being 97.5 +/- 15.0%.