[The pharmacokinetics and transfer into atrial muscle of ceftizoxime in open heart surgery].

A study of serum and atrial muscle concentration of ceftizoxime (CZX) was performed in 28 adult patients having cardiac surgery. Patients were administrated a single dose of CZX 2 g intravenously. Serum and atrial muscle samples were obtained at suitable intervals before extracorporeal circulation, and assayed CZX concentration. Serum concentrations were 54.5 micrograms/ml at 60 minutes, and 21.8 micrograms/ml at 180 minutes. Atrial tissue levels were 29.9 micrograms/g at 60 minutes, and 14.8 micrograms/g at 180 minutes. Tissue/serum concentration ratio was high value; 0.549 at 60 minutes, 0.679 at 180 minutes. Judging from its favorable transfer into atrial muscle and MIC80 against the suspected pathogen, CZX seemed to be clinically useful in the treatment of infection after cardiac surgery.