Kinetics of intravenous theophylline

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The pharmacokinetics of theophylline was studied in 6 normal, nonsmoking, adult male volunteers. A constant-rate intravenous infusion of 3.84 to 4.98 mglkg oftheophylline (as the ethylenediamine salt, aminophylline} was administered over 40 min, Serum theophylline concentrations were measured for 24 hr by means of agas chromatographic method specific for theophylline . Within 30 min of an average intravenous dose of 4.4 mglkg oj theophylline, serum levels reached 10 uglml, The highest serum level at the end of the infusion was 17 ug/ml. The serum concentration-time data were fitted to a two-compartment open model and yielded a mean serum half-life (1½) of 11.02 hr, a value longer than those previously reported. Dur results indicated that after the original loading dose of 4.4 mglkg was infused for 40 min, an immediate infusion rate of 1.40 mglkglhr (1 .65 mgIkgIhr aminophylline) would be necessary to maintain a serum level of 10 ug/ml.