Disposition and Urinary Excretion of Vecuronium Bromide in Anesthetized Patients with Normal Renal Function or Renal Failure

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Abstract
The effect and plasma concentrations of vecuronium bromide were measured in normal patients after an intravenous dose of 50, 100, or 150 .mu.g/kg and in patients with renal failure after 50 or 100 .mu.g/kg. Urinary excretion of vecuronium was studied in normal patients after the 150 .mu.g/kg dose. Pharmacokinetic parameters of patients with or without renal failure were similar. No metabolites of vecuronium were found in the plasma. Twenty percent of vecuronium was excreted unchanged in the urine; 5% as the 3-hydroxy derivative. No other metabolites of vecuronium were found in the urine. Increasing doses of vecuronium shortened the onset, but prolonged the duration of action and the recovery rate, to a similar extent in patients with or without renal failure. It was concluded that the disposition of vecuronium was best described by a three compartment model. Both the disposition and the effect of vecuronium are only marginally disturbed by renal failure.