Summary
The kinetics of the nootropic drug oxiracetam was studied in 6 elderly female patients (age range 69–96 years) in good physical condition. After a single oral dose (800 mg), serum oxiracetam levels reached a peak (25 ± 6 ug/ml) within 1–3 h and declined thereafter with a half-life of 3 to 6 h. Eighty-four percent of the administered dose was recovered in urine as unchanged drug within 24 h. During a maintenance regimen (800 b.i.d. at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.) for 7 days oxiracetam did not show any accumulation in serum, trough serum levels before the morning and afternoon doses being 4.6± 2.3 and 17.0± 8.2 ug/ml respectively on day 4 and 5.7± 3.3 and 17.9± 7.7 ug/ml respectively on day 7. Comparison with previous pharmacokinetic data obtained in young subjects suggests that the clearance of the drug is lower in the elderly, probably as a result of the physiological decrease in renal function in old age.
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Perucca, E., Parini, J., Albrici, A. et al. Oxiracetam pharmacokinetics following single and multiple dose administration in the elderly. European Journal of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics 12, 145–148 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03189889
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03189889