A study of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of nifedipine in combination with atenolol.

This double-blind randomized, crossover study was undertaken to determine the pharmacokinetic properties of nifedipine retard and atenolol when given separately, as a free or a fixed combination, compared with placebo in 15 healthy male volunteers. There was no difference between the three atenolol formulations in time to maximum blood concentration or elimination half-life. The fixed combination showed significant differences in both maximum observed blood concentrations (+16 per cent) and total area under the curve (+16 per cent) compared to atenolol alone. Urinary recovery of unchanged drug from the fixed combination was also slightly increased but the difference was not statistically significant. Furthermore, statistical evaluation of the plasma pharmacokinetics of nifedipine retard and urinary recovery of nifedipine metabolite showed that all three formulations were indistinguishable. Thus, it is concluded that the fixed combination of nifedipine and atenolol is bioequivalent to the free combination and that the bioavailability of both drugs in the fixed combination is equivalent to that of the single entities.