Pharmacodynamic modeling of furosemide tolerance after multiple intravenous administration

Physiologic indirect-response models have been proposed to account for the pharmacodynamics of drugs with an indirect mechanism of action, such as furosemide. However, they have not been applied to tolerance development. The aim of this study was to investigate the development of tolerance after multiple intravenous dosing of furosemide in healthy volunteers.

Three repetitive doses of 30 mg furosemide were given as rapid intravenous infusions at 0, 4, and 8 hours to eight healthy volunteers. Urine samples were collected for a period up to 14 hours after the first dose. Volume and sodium losses were isovolumetrically replaced with an oral rehydration fluid.

Tolerance was demonstrated as a significant decrease in diuretic and natriuretic response over time. Total mean diuresis was 35% lower (p < 0.01) and total mean natriuresis was 52% lower (p < 0.0001) after the third dose of furosemide compared with the first dose. However, there were considerable interindividual variations in the rate and extent of tolerance development for both diuresis and natriuresis. Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of tolerance development was performed with use of an indirect-response model with an additional "modifier" compartment. This model gave an accurate description of the diuretic and natriuretic data after multiple dosing of furosemide and enabled the estimation of a lag-time for tolerance and a rate constant for tolerance development. Physiologic counteraction was demonstrated as a significant increase in plasma active renin levels (p < 0.00001) and a decrease in atrial natriuretic peptide levels (p < 0.005) during the day, concomitantly with the development of a negative sodium balance. This may be viewed as physiologic reflections of the modifier in our model.

Indirect-response models may be successfully applied for tolerance modeling of drugs after multiple dosing.