Guanfacine kinetics in patients with hypertension.

Guanfacine kinetics were studied in 19 patients with hypertension after single and repeated oral doses. The single-dose study was performed in two homogeneous groups who received 2 mg (n = 9) and 4 mg (n = 10). The plasma concentrations were fitted in a two-compartment open model with first-order absorption. After a lag time of 0.8 hr, the absorption occurred rapidly (t 1/2 congruent to 0.53 hr). The fast and slow elimination phases occurred with t 1/2s of 2 and 19 hr. At therapeutic levels the percent of drug in red blood cells (55%) was independent of total drug concentration. Peak plasma levels had small interindividual variations. Comparison of kinetic parameters and AUC at the two doses studied demonstrated that their bioavailability was equal and the kinetics were linear. In a multiple-dosing study, performed in the same subjects, the plasma levels at steady state were in good agreement with the predicted values (p less than 0.001) and proportional to daily dosage. A single method based on four blood samples collected after 24, 28, 32, and 36 hr allows a reasonable prediction of the effective steady-state plasma levels during chronic dosing with guanfacine.