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. 1990 Oct;30(4):607–611. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1990.tb03820.x

The disposition of primidone in elderly patients.

C Martines 1, G Gatti 1, E Sasso 1, S Calzetti 1, E Perucca 1
PMCID: PMC1368252  PMID: 2291873

Abstract

1. The pharmacokinetics and metabolism of primidone at steady-state were studied in 10 elderly patients aged 70-81 years and eight control subjects aged 18-26 years. 2. Primidone half-lives and clearance values (mean +/- s.d.) were similar in the elderly and in the young (12.1 +/- 4.6 vs 14.7 +/- 3.5 h and 34.8 +/- 9.0 vs 33.2 +/- 7.2 ml h-1 kg-1 respectively. 3. The serum concentrations of the metabolites phenylethylmalonamide (PEMA) and phenobarbitone relative to those of parent drug were higher in the elderly than in the young, the difference being significant (P less than 0.01) in the case of PEMA. 4. The renal clearances of primidone, phenobarbitone and PEMA were moderately decreased in the elderly but this reduction was statistically significant only for PEMA. Elderly patients excreted a reduced proportion of unchanged primidone and an increased proportion of PEMA in urine. 5. Ageing is associated with a greater accumulation of PEMA, which is unlikely to have a major clinical significance.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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