A rapid procedure for the monitoring of amiodarone and N-desethylamiodarone by HPLC-UV detection.

This article describes a rapid isocratic high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the simultaneous measurement of the antiarrhythmic drug amiodarone and its potentially active metabolite N-desethylamiodarone (DEA). Following a simple liquid-liquid extraction, amiodarone and its metabolite are quantitated (0.3-6.0 mg/L) by analysis on an HPLC-UV system. The analytical time was reduced by 50%, without compromising the assay performance, when Rocket column technology was employed. The assay's limit of quantitation, linearity, imprecision, and accuracy adequately covered the therapeutic range for appropriate patient monitoring. Amiodarone and DEA can be simultaneously and accurately quantitated in serum or plasma by HPLC-UV detection with imprecision < 6% at therapeutic concentrations and a quantitation range from 0.3 to 6.0 mg/L. Monitoring of this drug can allow for effective use, while minimizing serious side effects.