THE URINARY EXCRETION AND BIOLOGIC DECAY PERIODS OF RADIOMERCURY LABELING A MERCURIAL DIURETIC IN NORMAL AND DISEASED MAN 1

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Abstract
Radiomercury (Hg203, 205), labeling a mercurial diuretic, was measured in the urine of 83 subjects after intraven. or intramusc. injn. The Hg of the diuretic admd. intramusc. was excreted rapidly when the cardiovascular and renal functions were normal, half being excreted in approx. 1-8 hrs. (mean, about 3 hrs). The rate of excretion was slightly less rapid when the drug was admd. intramusc. than when admd. intraven. Chronic congestive heart failure tended to diminish the rate of excretion, although individual variations were large. There was overlapping of the values for the control subjects and those with chronic congestive heart failure. The state and phase of the failure influenced the rate of excretion. The rate of excretion of the radiomercury was considerably impaired by renal insufficiency; the degree of impairment may be great enough to result in accumulation of toxic quantities of Hg with frequent admn. of the drug. The importance of this impairment in excretion during clinical therapy is evident. Detailed biologic decay rates, rates of clearance, and other excretory factors are presented.