Clinical Wearable Way To Blood Pressure Control? Transdennal clonidine maintains prolonged therapeutic plasma levels In this trial

In an open crossover study, 6 healthy males received transdermal clonidine 3.5, 7 or 10.5cm" for 7 days with a 14-day washout period between applications. These systems gave mean steady-state plasma concentrations of 0.39, 0.84 and 1.12 ngjml , respectively, (usual therapeutic range z: 0.3-2.0 ng/ml) and a dose-Independent halt·life (generally between 17 and 20 -hours). The dose relationship was linear (correlation coefficient> 0.975) in 5 of the 6 subjects.

In a separate study (n = 8 patients). no significant difference was found in steady-stale plasma concentrations Of amount of drug released from the 3.5cm2 patch worn on either the chest or the arm. These subjects did not remove the patch for 11 days and no drop in donidine levels was seen before the tenth day of use. A further 8 volunteers showed no significant change in plasma levels of clonidine in the 24-hour period around the time of removal and replacement of patches. Thus, transdermal delivery systems for clonidine appear effective in maintaining therapeutic plasma levels for up to 10 days with little variation during Changeover or with different sites of application. MacGrcgDi'. T.R .. MaIze/<, K.M. K{flrns, J.J.; van Waygen. R.O.A- , van den £nde, A. el al.: Clinical Pharmacology and TherapelJlics 38: 218-284 ($ep

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14 INPHARMA~ 2 Nov 1985 0156_2103/85/1005-0014/ 0$01 .00/ 0 @ ADISPress.