PHARMACOKINETICS AND PHARMACOKINETIC DYNAMIC RELATIONSHIP OF ROCURONIUM BROMIDE IN HUMANS

The existing human pharmacokinetic studies have been reviewed and comp ared with data derived from animals. The earliest study confirms the s imilarity of rocuronium to vecuronium with respect to the variables de rived from the plasma concentration decay curves and the proportion ex creted renally. Other studies led to the conclusion that concurrent ad ministration of volatile anaesthetics did not significantly influence rocuronium pharmacokinetics and that the potentiation must be due to a n increased sensitivity of the neuromuscular junction. These studies d o not provide an explanation for the clinical observation of a more ra pid onset of action. One possible explanation was the finding of a mor e rapid onset of block in the laryngeal muscles than in the adductor p ollicis. However, no pharmacokinetic explanation for this observation has emerged. Alternative concepts need to be modelled. There is a need for comparative pharmacokinetic studies which focus on the period imm ediately following administration of rocuronium and vecuronium.