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The Effect of Flurbiprofen on Steady‐State Plasma Lithium Levels
Author(s) -
Hughes Barbara McGee,
Small Ralph E.,
Brink Douglas,
McKenzie Norma D.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
pharmacotherapy: the journal of human pharmacology and drug therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.227
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1875-9114
pISSN - 0277-0008
DOI - 10.1002/j.1875-9114.1997.tb03683.x
Subject(s) - flurbiprofen , pharmacokinetics , lithium (medication) , crossover study , placebo , medicine , urine , urinary system , urology , anesthesia , pharmacology , alternative medicine , pathology
Study Objective . To evaluate the effects of flurbiprofen therapy on the pharmacokinetics of lithium. Design . Placebo‐controlled, single‐blind, crossover study. Setting . University‐affiliated hospital. Patients . Eleven healthy women with bipolar disorder. Interventions . The subjects received therapeutic doses of lithium administered as an immediate‐release capsule every 12 hours. In addition, they received one placebo tablet every 12 hours during phase I and flurbiprofen 100 mg every 12 hours during phase II of the study. Measurements and Main Results . Steady‐state pharmacokinetic parameters were measured for each phase. Lithium trough plasma concentration (C min ) and area under the curve were statistically significantly increased (p<0.05) when patients received flurbiprofen. Flurbiprofen also caused decreases in lithium clearance and 24‐hour lithium urine excretion, although the changes did not reach statistical significance. Clinically significant increases in C min appeared to be associated with a greater than 1000‐μg/24 hour decrease in urinary excretion of prostaglandin E 2 . Conclusion . Patients with clinically normal renal function may experience an increase in lithium levels with the initiation of flurbiprofen therapy.