TIMOLOL PHARMACOKINETICS AND EFFECTS ON HEART-RATE AND BLOOD-PRESSURE AFTER ACUTE AND CHRONIC ADMINISTRATION

The pharmacokinetics and effects of various oral doses of timolol administered either acutely or after chronic medication for 7 days were studied in healthy volunteers. After acute administration of timolol maximum plasma concentrations were attained within 1-2 h and thereafter declined exponentially with time. The mean apparent half-life of elimination from plasma was 2.5 h and was independent of dose. Area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) was proportional to the orally administered dose. Plasma concentrations, apparent elimination half-life and AUC were not altered after one week of chronic administration. The effect of timolol on heart rate and blood pressure response to three sequentially increasing 'steady state' work loads were studied. After acute administration of timolol maximum reduction of systolic blood pressure, resting heart rate, and the different parameters of the work-heart rate (or blood pressure) relationships were produced by 5 mg timolol. Increasing the dose prolonged the duration over which these variables were reduced. The relationship between timolol plasma concentration and inhibition of different parameters of the exercise response was hyperbolic with half maximum inhibition at concentrations of about 3-4 ng/ml of timolol and maximum inhibition above 30 ng/ml. Maximum drug effects and duration of action of timolol on the different variables were similar after acute and chronic administration. © 1979 Springer-Verlag.