Influence of Chronic Renal Failure on Captopril Pharmacokinetics and Clinical and Biological Effects in Hypertensive Patients

The pharmacokinetic parameters of unchanged plasma captopril and the kinetics of the drug effects on plasma converting enzyme activity (PCEA), plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma aldosterone (PA) and mean blood pressure (MBP) were studied over 24 h after oral administration in three groups of hypertensive patients: with normal renal function (group 1, plasma creatinine less than 110 mumol/l, n = 10), with moderate chronic renal failure (group 2, 135 less than plasma creatinine less than 450 mumol/l, n = 10) and with severe chronic renal failure (group 3, plasma creatinine greater than 500 mumol/l, n = 10). Renal impairment had no effect on plasma captopril Cmax, CLtot and relative bioavailability (AUC). In contrast, captopril kel decreased while T1/2 increased progressively from group 1 to group 3. PCEA blockade (T1/2 and AUC) was increased significantly and proportionally to the degree of renal impairment. However, there were no differences between the three groups regarding captopril-induced modifications of PRA and PA. Although the maximal reduction in MBP was identical in the three groups, the overall antihypertensive effect (AUC) of captopril increased significantly and progressively from group 1 to group 3, especially in duration. There was no correlation between basal plasma creatinine values and unchanged captopril relative bioavailability (AUC) and between unchanged captopril relative bioavailability (AUC) and the drug effects (AUC) on PCEA, PRA, PA and MBP. However there was a correlation between basal plasma creatinine values and plasma captopril T1/2, PCEA blockade (AUC) and overall antihypertensive effect (AUC). The apparent discrepancy between the lack of effects of chronic renal failure on plasma unchanged captopril bioavailability and its potentiating effects on PCEA blockade and MBP reduction may be accounted for by the renal impairment-induced accumulation of captopril metabolites.