Plasma and urine concentrations of acebutolol and its acetyl metabolite in patients with renal functional impairment.

This study was undertaken to examine the elimination of orally administered acebutolol and its major acetyl metabolite in four healthy controls and seven patients with varying degrees of renal functional impairment. Analysis of acebutolol and its metabolites was undertaken using a high performance liquid chromatographic method. Plasma concentrations of acebutolol and the acetyl metabolite were greater in patients with renal functional impairment than in controls. The elimination of acebutolol did not appear to be influenced by impaired renal function. However the elimination of the acetyl metabolite decreased as renal function diminished. Acebutolol has a major non-renal route of elimination, but the acetyl metabolite (also a beta-adrenoreceptor blocking drug) is primarily excreted by the kidney and may accumulate in renal failure.