Pharmacokinetics of cefpodoxime in young and elderly volunteers after single doses.

Three pharmacokinetic studies involving single oral doses of cefpodoxime proxetil in healthy volunteers are reported. The first study was to determine the absolute bioavailability of cefpodoxime, the second was to study the relationship between the oral dose of cefpodoxime proxetil and pharmacokinetic parameters of cefpodoxime, and the third was to compare the pharmacokinetics of cefpodoxime in healthy young and elderly volunteers. Half the dose of cefpodoxime orally administered as cefpodoxime proxetil in tablet form reaches the systemic circulation, while 80% of the cefpodoxime absorbed is excreted unchanged in urine. The volume of distribution is large (32.3 l). The pharmacokinetics of cefpodoxime were linear in young and elderly subjects after 100 and 200 mg oral doses, which are those used therapeutically. The Cmax was about 1.4 mg/l (after 100 mg) and 2.6 mg/l (after 200 mg). Deviation from linearity appeared at 400 mg and the effect was confirmed at 800 mg. The differences between young and elderly subjects were negligible, with the exception of the half-life which increased by only 14%, from 2.67 to 3 h. Dosage adjustment is therefore not necessary in the elderly.