NO SEX-RELATED PHARMACOKINETIC AND PHARMACODYNAMIC DIFFERENCES OF CAPTOPRIL

Captopril is an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) used in the treatment of hypertension and congestive heart failure and has de monstrated its cardiovascular effects in experimental animal models, h ealthy volunteers and patients. The aim of this study was to find out whether or not differences in the pharmacokinetic profile and the haem odynamic response of a 100-mg single oral dose of captopril appeared b etween subjects of both sexes. Twenty-four young healthy volunteers (1 2 males and 12 females) took part in the trial. Blood samples to asses s captopril plasma concentrations, determined by reverse phase high pe rformance liquid chromatography (HPLC), as well as haemodynamic variab les, were obtained before and at different times following drug intake . Pharmacokinetic parameters did not show significant sex differences. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure exhibited a statistically signi ficant decrease between 0.5 and 8 h in both sexes. No significant sex- related differences were found. The drug exhibited a good tolerability . (C) 1997 The Italian Pharmacological Society.