RESUMO
This study is the first to develop and optimize a method for the simultaneous determination of chlorthalidone (CLT) and telmisartan (TEL) in, human plasma samples as well as in their newly released pharmaceutical tablet form, (Telmikind-CT 40®). The method is based on measuring fluorescence intensity, employing synchronous fluorescence mode coupled to third-order derivative signal processing, 0.5% w/v cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide was used as cationic surfactant to enhance the fluorescence signal intensity and improve method sensitivity. The third-order derivative synchronous spectra of CLT and TEL are well separated with two zero-crossing points which allowed for the determination of CLT and TEL at 362 nm and 351 nm, respectively. Different experimental parameters were carefully investigated and optimized, calibration curves were constructed over concentration ranges of 20-1200 ng.mL-1 and 5-800 ng.mL-1 for CLT and TEL respectively. The developed method is simple and rapid, analytical parameters were validated according to ICH guidelines and high sensitivity was achieved as represented by limits of detection (LOD) of 4.69 and 1.58 ng.mL-1 for CLT and TEL respectively.
Assuntos
Análise Química do Sangue/métodos , Clortalidona/sangue , Telmisartan/sangue , Combinação de Medicamentos , Humanos , Limite de Detecção , Espectrometria de FluorescênciaRESUMO
An accurate and sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the simultaneous estimation of the newly developed combination of sacubitril and valsartan and the co-administered drugs nebivolol, chlorthalidone and esomeprazole in human plasma. Solid-phase extraction was conducted for the purification and extraction of the drugs from human plasma. Chromatographic separation was carried out on an Agilent SB-C18 (1.8 µm, 2.1 × 50 mm) column using losartan as internal standard. Isocratic elution was applied using acetonitrile-0.1% formic acid in water (85: 15, v/v) as mobile phase. Detection was carried out using a triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer using multiple reaction monitoring, at positive mode at m/z 412.23 â 266.19 for sacubitril, m/z 436.29 â 235.19 for valsartan, m/z 405.8 â 150.98 for nebivolol, m/z 346.09 â 198 for esomeprazole and a selected combination of two fragments m/z 423.19 â 207.14 and 423.19 â 192.2 for losartan (internal standard), and in negative ionization mode at m/z 337.02 â 190.12 for chlorthalidone. The method was linear over the concentration ranges 30-2,000 ng/ml for sacubitril, 70-2,000 ng/ml for valsartan, esomeprazole and chlorthalidone and 70-5,000 pg/ml for nebivolol. The developed method is sensitive and selective and could be applied for dose adjustment, bioavailability and drug-drug interaction studies.
Assuntos
Aminobutiratos/sangue , Compostos de Bifenilo/sangue , Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Pressão/métodos , Extração em Fase Sólida/métodos , Espectrometria de Massas em Tandem/métodos , Valsartana/sangue , Aminobutiratos/administração & dosagem , Aminobutiratos/isolamento & purificação , Compostos de Bifenilo/administração & dosagem , Compostos de Bifenilo/isolamento & purificação , Clortalidona/administração & dosagem , Clortalidona/sangue , Clortalidona/isolamento & purificação , Combinação de Medicamentos , Estabilidade de Medicamentos , Esomeprazol/administração & dosagem , Esomeprazol/sangue , Esomeprazol/isolamento & purificação , Humanos , Limite de Detecção , Modelos Lineares , Nebivolol/administração & dosagem , Nebivolol/sangue , Nebivolol/isolamento & purificação , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Valsartana/administração & dosagem , Valsartana/isolamento & purificaçãoRESUMO
A novel, precise, sensitive and accurate ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of a novel drug combination, candesartan (CAN) and chlorthalidone (CHL), in human plasma. Chromatographic separation was achieved on Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C18 (50 × 2.1 mm, 1.7 µm). Mobile phase consisting of 1 mm ammonium acetate in water-acetonitrile (20:80 v/v) was used. The total chromatographic runtime was 1.9 min with retention times for CAN and CHL at 0.7 and 1.1 min respectively. Ionization and detection of analytes and internal standards was performed on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, operating in the multiple reaction monitoring and negative ionization mode. Quantitation was done to monitor protonated precursor â product ion transition of m/z 439.2 â 309.0 for CAN, 337.0 â 189.8 for CHL and 443.2 â 312.1 for candesartan D4 and 341.0 â 189.8 for chlorthalidone D4. The method was validated over a wide dynamic concentration range of 2.0-540.0 ng/mL for candesartan and 1.0-180.0 ng/mL for chlorthalidone. The validated method was successfully applied for the assay of CAN and CHL in healthy volunteers.
Assuntos
Benzimidazóis/sangue , Clortalidona/sangue , Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Pressão/métodos , Espectrometria de Massas em Tandem/métodos , Tetrazóis/sangue , Adolescente , Adulto , Benzimidazóis/química , Benzimidazóis/farmacocinética , Compostos de Bifenilo , Clortalidona/química , Clortalidona/farmacocinética , Combinação de Medicamentos , Estabilidade de Medicamentos , Humanos , Limite de Detecção , Modelos Lineares , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Tetrazóis/química , Tetrazóis/farmacocinética , Adulto JovemRESUMO
A simple, sensitive and reproducible ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of atenolol, a ß-adrenergic receptor-blocker and chlorthalidone, a monosulfonamyl diuretic in human plasma, using atenolol-d7 and chlorthalidone-d4 as the internal standards (ISs). Following solid-phase extraction on Phenomenex Strata-X cartridges using 100 µL human plasma sample, the analytes and ISs were separated on an Acquity UPLC BEH C18 (50 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.7 µm) column using a mobile phase consisting of 0.1% formic acid-acetonitrile (25:75, v/v). A tandem mass spectrometer equipped with electrospray ionization was used as a detector in the positive ionization mode for both analytes. The linear concentration range was established as 0.50-500 ng/mL for atenolol and 0.25-150 ng/mL for chlorthalidone. Extraction recoveries were within 95-103% and ion suppression/enhancement, expressed as IS-normalized matrix factors, ranged from 0.95 to 1.06 for both the analytes. Intra-batch and inter-batch precision (CV) and accuracy values were 2.37-5.91 and 96.1-103.2%, respectively. Stability of analytes in plasma was evaluated under different conditions, such as bench-top, freeze-thaw, dry and wet extract and long-term. The developed method was superior to the existing methods for the simultaneous determination of atenolol and chlorthalidone in human plasma with respect to the sensitivity, chromatographic analysis time and plasma volume for processing. Further, it was successfully applied to support a bioequivalence study of 50 mg atenolol + 12.5 mg chlorthalidone in 28 healthy Indian subjects.
Assuntos
Atenolol/sangue , Clortalidona/sangue , Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Pressão/métodos , Espectrometria de Massas em Tandem/métodos , Atenolol/química , Atenolol/farmacocinética , Clortalidona/química , Clortalidona/farmacocinética , Estabilidade de Medicamentos , Humanos , Modelos Lineares , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Sensibilidade e EspecificidadeRESUMO
A method based on a simple liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) followed by high-performance liquid chromatography with negative ion electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) detection was developed for the simultaneous determination of losartan (LOS) and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in human plasma, using valsartan (VAL) and chlorthalidone (CHTD) as an internal standard, respectively. The acquisition was performed in multiple reactions monitoring (MRM) and the limit of quantification was 4 ng/mL for both LOS and HCTZ. The method was linear in the studied range (4-800 ng/mL for LOS and 4-500 ng/mL for HCTZ). The intra-assay precisions ranged from 2.6-11.9% for LOS and 1.4-8.2% for HCTZ, while the inter-assay precisions ranged from 1.0-8.0% for LOS and 2.5-7.7% for HCTZ. The intra-assay accuracies ranged from 91.3 to 107.6% for LOS and 91.5 to 105.8% for HCTZ, while the inter-assay accuracies ranged from 99.9 to 106.4% for LOS and 97.4 to 101.4% for HCTZ. The analytical method was applied to a bioequivalence study, in which 28 healthy adult volunteers (14 men) received single oral doses (100 mg LOS + 25 mg HCTZ) of reference and test formulations, in an open, two-period, balanced randomized, crossover protocol. Based on the 90% confidence interval of the individual ratios for Cmax and AUC0-inf, it was concluded that the test formulation is bioequivalent to the reference Hyzaar formulation with respect to the rate and extent of absorption of both LOS and HCTZ.
Assuntos
Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Pressão/métodos , Hidroclorotiazida/sangue , Hidroclorotiazida/farmacocinética , Losartan/sangue , Losartan/farmacocinética , Espectrometria de Massas por Ionização por Electrospray/métodos , Administração Oral , Adulto , Clortalidona/sangue , Clortalidona/farmacocinética , Estudos Cross-Over , Feminino , Humanos , Hidroclorotiazida/administração & dosagem , Losartan/administração & dosagem , Masculino , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Sensibilidade e Especificidade , Tetrazóis/sangue , Tetrazóis/farmacocinética , Equivalência Terapêutica , Valina/análogos & derivados , Valina/sangue , Valina/farmacocinética , ValsartanaRESUMO
Population pharmacokinetic and exposure-response models for azilsartan medoxomil (AZL-M) and chlorthalidone (CLD) were developed using data from an 8-week placebo-controlled phase 3, factorial study of 20, 40, and 80 mg AZL-M every day (QD) and 12.5 and 25 mg CLD QD in fixed-dose combination (FDC) in subjects with moderate to severe essential hypertension. A 2-compartment model with first-order absorption and elimination was developed to describe pharmacokinetics. An Emax model for exposure-response analysis evaluated AZL-M/CLD effects on ambulatory systolic blood pressure (SBP). Estimated oral clearance and apparent volume of distribution (central compartment) were 1.47 L/h and 3.98 L for AZL, and 4.13 L/h and 62.1 L for CLD. Age as a covariate had the largest effect on AZL and CLD exposure (±20% change). Predicted maximal SBP responses (Emax ) were -15.6 and -23.9 mm Hg for AZL and CLD. Subgroup analysis identified statistically significant Emax differences for black vs nonblack subjects, whereby the reduced AZL response in black subjects was offset by greater response to CLD. The estimated Emax for AZL and CLD was generally greater in subjects with higher baseline BP. In conclusion, no dose adjustments to AZL-M or CLD are warranted based on identified covariates, and antihypertensive efficacy of AZL-M/CLD combination therapy is comparable in black and nonblack subjects.
Assuntos
Benzimidazóis/administração & dosagem , Benzimidazóis/sangue , Clortalidona/administração & dosagem , Clortalidona/sangue , Hipertensão/sangue , Hipertensão/tratamento farmacológico , Oxidiazóis/administração & dosagem , Oxidiazóis/sangue , Idoso , Bloqueadores do Receptor Tipo 1 de Angiotensina II/administração & dosagem , Bloqueadores do Receptor Tipo 1 de Angiotensina II/sangue , Bloqueadores do Receptor Tipo 1 de Angiotensina II/farmacocinética , Anti-Hipertensivos/administração & dosagem , Anti-Hipertensivos/sangue , Anti-Hipertensivos/farmacocinética , Benzimidazóis/farmacocinética , Clortalidona/farmacocinética , Método Duplo-Cego , Quimioterapia Combinada , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Oxidiazóis/farmacocinética , Resultado do TratamentoRESUMO
Azilsartan medoxomil (AZM), an ester prodrug of azilsartan (AZ), and chlorthalidone (CLT) have recently been approved as a combination therapy for the management of hypertension. This is the first report which described a selective and sensitive method for the simultaneous quantification of AZ and CLT in rat and human plasma using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). AZ and CLT were extracted from plasma by liquid-liquid extraction technique and separated on a C18 reverse phase column using ammonium acetate (10mM, pH 4)-mixture of methanol and acetonitrile (8:92, v/v) as a mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.7mL/min. Detection was performed by electrospray ionization (ESI) operated in negative multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) of this method was 1ng/mL and the calibration curves were linear (r(2)≥0.995) over the concentration range of 1-4000ng/mL for both the analytes. The intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy were well within the acceptable limits. The mean extraction recoveries were found to be about 80% and no matrix effect was observed. AZ and CLT were found to be stable under all relevant storage conditions. The method was successfully applied to the oral pharmacokinetic study of AZM and CLT in rats. Further, the sensitivity of the method enabled the determination of protein binding of AZ and CLT in human plasma.
Assuntos
Benzimidazóis/sangue , Clortalidona/sangue , Cromatografia Líquida/métodos , Oxidiazóis/sangue , Espectrometria de Massas em Tandem/métodos , Animais , Benzimidazóis/química , Benzimidazóis/farmacocinética , Clortalidona/química , Clortalidona/farmacocinética , Humanos , Modelos Lineares , Masculino , Oxidiazóis/química , Oxidiazóis/farmacocinética , Ligação Proteica , Ratos , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Sensibilidade e EspecificidadeRESUMO
After a control period on a placebo, 45 patients with mild to moderate hypertension were treated with metoprolol, 100 mg twice daily alone and in free combination with chlorthalidone 50 mg daily using a double-blind crossover technique. The beta-blocker alone induced a significant fall in blood pressure; the diastolic pressure was reduced to 100 mg Hg or less in 37 of the 45 patients and to 95 mm Hg or less in 19 patients. The addition of chlorthalidone enhanced the antihypertensive effect so that in 33 patients diastolic pressure fell to 95 mm Hg or less. The drugs were well tolerated even by a small number of patients with chronic bronchitis and diabetes mellitus. None of the patients developed cardiac failure. Adding a diuretic caused a small reduction in serum potassium concentrations, and the relevance of this observation is discussed.
Assuntos
Clortalidona/uso terapêutico , Hipertensão/tratamento farmacológico , Metoprolol/uso terapêutico , Propanolaminas/uso terapêutico , Adulto , Pressão Sanguínea/efeitos dos fármacos , Peso Corporal/efeitos dos fármacos , Clortalidona/administração & dosagem , Clortalidona/sangue , Ensaios Clínicos como Assunto , Quimioterapia Combinada , Eletrocardiografia , Feminino , Humanos , Hipertensão/fisiopatologia , Masculino , Metoprolol/administração & dosagem , Metoprolol/sangue , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Pulso Arterial/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
The relative bioavailability of chlorthalidone from rapidly dissolving, stabilized, amorphous 15- and 25-mg formulations was compared in 24 normal adult male volunteers to the 25-mg market standard tablet and a 25-mg oral reference solution. When adjusted for dose, the experimental formulations were 116 and 104% of the calculated mean area under the curve for chlorthalidone reference solution compared to 81% for the tablet of the innovator. Likewise, the dose-adjusted mean peak blood levels for the 15- and 25-mg experimental tablets and the 25-mg tablet of the innovator were 112, 105 and 78% of the reference solution, respectively. Mean times-to-peak blood concentrations were 8.4 h for the 25-mg and 9.1 h for the 15-mg amorphous formulations compared to 9.2 h for the oral reference solution and 11.8 h for the market standard tablet. Drug concentrations declined monoexponentially with harmonic mean half-lives ranging from 47 to 55 h and intrinsic clearances ranging from 0.13 to 0.18 L/h regardless of formulation. The dose-adjusted relative bioavailability for the experimental formulations was not significantly different from the oral reference solution, whereas the market standard tablet was significantly (p less than 0.0001) lower than the reference solution. The urinary excretion of chlorthalidone was generally greater following the stabilized amorphous formulations than either the tablet of the innovator or the reference solution. The results of this research show that a rapidly dissolving chlorthalidone tablet can be formulated that shows complete relative bioavailability in humans.
Assuntos
Clortalidona/metabolismo , Adulto , Disponibilidade Biológica , Clortalidona/sangue , Humanos , Cinética , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , ComprimidosRESUMO
Chlorthalidone inhibition of the enzymatic hydrolysis rate of p-nitrophenyl acetate by bovine erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase was used as a basis for chlorthalidone determination in plasma and urine. For urinary samples, a completely automated, continuous flow system was developed to extract the samples and perform the enzymatic reaction. Over 100 samples per day could be assayed by one person. The assay had a sensitivity of 0.5 micrograms/ml and thus could determine urinary concentrations after a therapeutic chlorthalidone dose. To determine plasma concentrations after a therapeutic dose, a manual extraction procedure was used in combination with a second continuous flow system for the enzymatic reaction. This system was optimized to detect the lowest chlorthalidone concentration allowed by the enzymatic inhibition constant and could detect 25 ng/ml.
Assuntos
Clortalidona/sangue , Animais , Autoanálise/instrumentação , Autoanálise/métodos , Inibidores da Anidrase Carbônica , Clortalidona/farmacologia , Clortalidona/urinaRESUMO
A pharmacodynamic approach was employed to examine the diuretic effect of chlorthalidone in beagle dogs and to identify parameters necessary for optimization of an oral dosage formulation of this drug. The extensive partitioning of chlorthalidone into erythrocytes was shown to be noninstantaneous, with an in vitro partitioning half-life of 18 min. In vivo studies using oral and intravenous solutions confirmed this finding. Additionally, the diuretic effect was demonstrated to be related to the drug concentration in the plasma fraction. These studies led to the development of a relevant pharmacokinetic model which highlighted the importance of the oral absorption rate on the diuretic efficacy of chlorthalidone. A novel, rapidly dissolving, stabilized, amorphous chlorthalidone tablet formulation was compared to various oral solution and tablet formulations. Pharmacokinetic analysis by classical compartmental models and by moment techniques demonstrated that the rapidly dissolving tablet formulation was bioequivalent to an oral solution of chlorthalidone. Preparations containing crystalline chlorthalidone are shown to be incompletely absorbed, and the rates of absorption favor partitioning into the erythrocyte fraction. It is projected from the pharmacodynamic model that the novel chlorthalidone preparation optimizes plasma levels necessary to invoke a diuretic response.
Assuntos
Clortalidona/farmacologia , Química Farmacêutica , Clortalidona/sangue , Clortalidona/metabolismo , Diurese/efeitos dos fármacos , Estabilidade de Medicamentos , Eritrócitos/metabolismo , Humanos , Injeções Intravenosas , Rim/metabolismo , Cinética , Modelos Biológicos , Solubilidade , Soluções , ComprimidosRESUMO
We describe a 39 years old patient with a history of chronic symptomatic hypokalemia. She denied taking any drugs. She satisfied the clinical criteria for Bartter's syndrome and more precisely for Gitelman's syndrome: hypokalemia in the presence of inappropriately high potassium excretion, metabolic alkalosis, hyperreninemic hyperaldosteronism, hypomagnesemia with inappropriately high magnesium excretion, normocalcemia, hypocalciuria and normal blood pressure. A HPLC analysis detected the presence of furosemide in urine and chlorthalidone in urine and plasma samples. After the self administration of diuretics was stopped, the above alterations came back to normality. Prior to the verification of a self administration of diuretics, the patient showed clinical and biochemical parameters that oriented to surreptitious diuretic ingestion (Pseudo-Bartter's syndrome) not to Bartter's syndrome or Gitelman's syndrome, particularly the plasma potassium readily restored to normal by the administration of potassium chloride supplements, the increased plasma uric acid with low uric acid fractional clearance, the widely different urine and plasma electrolyte levels and the presence psychiatric disorders. The literature is reviewed and differential diagnosis, among this three syndromes, is made.
Assuntos
Síndrome de Bartter/diagnóstico , Diuréticos/administração & dosagem , Transtornos Autoinduzidos , Hipopotassemia/diagnóstico , Automedicação , Adulto , Clortalidona/efeitos adversos , Clortalidona/sangue , Clortalidona/urina , Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Pressão , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Diuréticos/efeitos adversos , Diuréticos/sangue , Diuréticos/urina , Feminino , Furosemida/efeitos adversos , Furosemida/urina , Humanos , Hipopotassemia/induzido quimicamenteAssuntos
Anidrases Carbônicas/sangue , Clortalidona/sangue , Humanos , Cinética , Ligação Proteica , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
Ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) was investigated as a faster alternative to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the simultaneous analysis of drugs usually prescribed in cardiovascular therapy. Upon a previously developed and validated solid phase extraction (SPE)-HPLC-photodiode array (PDA)-fluorescence (FLR) method, separation of chlorthalidone (CLTD; diuretic), valsartan and its metabolite (VAL and VAL-M1 respectively; angiotensin II receptor antagonist drugs) and fluvastatin (FLUV; statin) was performed in human plasma using an RP C18 column (50mmx2.1mm, 1.7microm, Waters Acquity UPLC (BEH)) and a tunable UV-vis (TUV) detector. After method transfer, different system variables were modulated to study the evolution of responses of the analytes and the endogenous interferences. The improved method was fully validated and the results were compared with its precursor HPLC method relating to analysis time, efficiency and sensitivity. The studied compounds were separated in less than 8min and the method showed good linearity (20-3000microg/L for chlorthalidone, 110-1100microg/L for valsartan-M1, 67-1900microg/L for valsartan and 48-1100microg/L for fluvastatin), precision and accuracy. The proposed method was found to be reproducible (RSD<10%), accurate (RE<15%), robust and suitable for quantitative analysis of the studied drugs in plasma obtained from patients under combined cardiovascular treatment.
Assuntos
Fármacos Cardiovasculares/sangue , Clortalidona/sangue , Cromatografia Líquida/métodos , Ácidos Graxos Monoinsaturados/sangue , Indóis/sangue , Espectrofotometria Ultravioleta/métodos , Tetrazóis/sangue , Valina/análogos & derivados , Estabilidade de Medicamentos , Fluvastatina , Humanos , Modelos Lineares , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Sensibilidade e Especificidade , Fatores de Tempo , Valina/sangue , ValsartanaRESUMO
A high-performance liquid chromatographic assay usable for clinical monitoring of chlorthalidone in biological fluids was developed. Extraction efficiency was greater than 80% for blood and urine using a rapid, disposable column cleanup procedure. Chlorthalidone could be reliably measured in the range of 100-4,000 ng/ml in biological fluids with excellent day-to-day reproducibility and within-day precision. Chlorthalidone was found to be stable at -20 degrees C in blood and urine for at least 1 year, permitting repeat assays and large clinical studies to be conducted. The pharmacokinetics of chlorthalidone was studied in 24 subjects over a 120-h time interval following a single dose. chlorthalidone has a long terminal half-life in whole blood of 49 h, with peak concentrations occurring 8-10 h after oral dosing. During the first 12 h after dosing, chlorthalidone was rapidly excreted into urine followed by a slower phase with a half-life of 49 h.
Assuntos
Clortalidona/sangue , Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Pressão/métodos , Adolescente , Adulto , Clortalidona/urina , Congelamento , Humanos , Cinética , Masculino , Preservação Biológica , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
Analytical methods utilizing extractive alkylation followed by gas-liquid chromatography are described for the quantitative determination of (neo)sulfalepsine and its metabolites, chlorthalidone and chlorquinaldol. The applications described indicate that, for the use of this technique, careful optimization and the introduction of a suitable internal standard at the beginning of the analytical manipulations are essential.
Assuntos
Anticonvulsivantes/sangue , Clorquinaldol/sangue , Clortalidona/sangue , Sulfonamidas/sangue , Alquilação , Cromatografia Gasosa , Cromatografia Líquida , Humanos , MétodosRESUMO
A sensitive and selective gas chromatographic method is described for determining the diuretic and antihypertensive drug chlorthalidone in plasma, urine and erythrocytes. Use is made of an alkali flame ionization detector (nitrogen detector), and the chlorthalidone and internal standard are chromatographed as methyl derivatives. Down to 10 ng of drugs in the biological sample can be measured accurately, with a standard deviation of 5%. Because the concentration of chlorthalidone found in erythrocytes is 50-100 times higher than that in plasma, the influence of haemolysis on the plasma concentration has been investigated. In addition, a pharmacokinetic study with human volunteers revealed that the apparent concentration of the drug found in plasma can be much too low (by more than 50%), if the plasma is not separated from the erythrocytes immediately after venipuncture. Precautions to be observed to ensure correct handling of blood samples (so that results for plasma concentrations will be reliable) are stressed. The findings have application in kinetic studies on chlorthalidone.