Acebutolol pharmacokinetics in renal failure.

Acebutolol was administered orally in a single dose of 200 mg to 17 individuals whose renal function varied markedly. The plasma half-life and elimination rate constant for acebutolol showed a four-fold variation but these did not correlate with the degree of renal impairment. However, there was a good correlation between the renal clearance of creatinine and that of acebutolol (P less than 0.001). The half-life and elimination rate of the acetyl metabolite, diacetolol, were subject to 10-fold inter-individual variability which correlated significantly with the creatinine clearance and serum creatinine concentration. The AUC for the acetyl metabolite showed a 40-fold individual variation which also correlated with renal function. It is concluded that renal elimination is the principal route of excretion for diacetolol but not the parent compound, acebutolol.