A simple method for the simulation of unbound serum disopyramide concentration in patients.

There were remarkable differences in the serum total and unbound concentrations of disopyramide (DP) and mono-N-dealkyldisopyramide (MND), the major metabolite of DP, among patients with arrhythmias. Serum levels of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AAG) also varied among the same patients. To predict the unbound DP concentrations, we have obtained the serum concentration-time curves of unbound DP in these patients by means of total DP concentration, DP pharmacokinetic parameters, AAG levels and dissociation constants of DP and MND at specific AAG binding sites. In patients with normal AAG levels, the theoretical values of unbound DP were in good agreement with the measured concentrations. On the other hand, in patients with high AAG levels, the theoretical values could be obtained by correcting the calculated values using both AAG levels of each patient and the equation correlating the unbound DP fraction to AAG concentrations. These findings indicate that patient AAG levels can provide valuable information permitting the rapid estimation of unbound DP concentrations, the pharmacologically active fraction, and the development of effective DP dosage regimens.