The pharmacokinetics of ketoprofen following the administration of the first and final dose of a controlled release formulation (200 mg ketoprofen) once daily for 10 days to nine elderly patients have been studied. Plasma ketoprofen concentrations were measured by h.p.l.c. The data were compared to previously reported studies in young male volunteers. Mean +/‐ s.d. peak plasma concentrations (5.6 +/‐ 1.75 micrograms ml‐1 and 6.3 +/‐ 2.7 micrograms ml‐1 on day 1 and day 10, respectively) were higher than those reported in young volunteers given similar treatment, but similar to those reported in young volunteers following 50 mg four times daily of conventionally formulated ketoprofen, and markedly lower than reported following a single 100 mg dose of ketoprofen. The half‐life for drug release (mean +/‐ s.d.) from the controlled release formulation (8.5 +/‐ 7.4 h) and accumulation upon repeated dosing (28%) were essentially the same as reported for young volunteers. The area under the plasma concentration‐time curve was about 65% greater than reported in young volunteers following administration of controlled release ketoprofen. This increase in exposure to ketoprofen is probably partly due to the lower volume of distribution in the elderly and partly due to a reduced renal excretion of the glucuronide metabolite of ketoprofen. It was concluded that controlled release ketoprofen may be administered in standard doses (200 mg once daily) to elderly patients whose elimination processes are not severely impaired (i.e. severe renal failure or hepatic disease).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Oxprenolol in an Oros 8/130 sustained release osmotic pump system (equivalent to 120 mg oxprenolol hydrochloride in a conventional formulation and releasing 8 mg h‐1) was given to eight normal young subjects (mean age 23 years) and eight elderly hypertensive patients (mean age 77 years). The plasma concentration‐time profiles of oxprenolol were determined over 32 h using gas liquid chromatography after the initial dose and following seven doses. The elderly patients had a significantly higher AUC and maximum plasma oxprenolol concentration following both the first and final doses studied. It is unlikely that this difference is due to a prolonged absorption phase in the elderly patients. Reduced drug clearance seems the most probable explanation.

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