Abstract
Doxycycline is a new tetracycline that is now in widespread clinical use. It differs from the other tetracycline drugs in many important respects, including small daily dosage schedules, essentially complete upper gastrointestinal absorption and excretory characteristics that are independent of renal function. These studies demonstrate that in anephric patients and patients with varying degrees of renal function the plasma t1/2 of biologically active doxycycline is not significantly extended and that in such a clinical situation the usual therapeutic regimen of the drug is necessary. Clearance rate of the compound from the systemic circulation by hemodialysis is only 10 ml/min or less. In addition, the investigations identify the importance of the nonhepatic gastrointestinal pathway of elimination of doxycycline from the systemic circulation. Doxycycline therefore appears to be unique among the tetracyclines in that it may be utilized as a drug of choice for the therapy of systemic infections when a tetracycline compound is indicated in the clinical setting of impaired renal function.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 365-371 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Kidney International |
Volume | 5 |
Issue number | 5 |
State | Published - 1974 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Nephrology