Willem S. Frederik

The Metabolic Fate of Nitrate Esters

* Physician, University Health Services, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.; Chief of Medicine, Brooks Hospital, Brookline, Mass.; Visiting Physician, Long Island Hospital, Boston, Mass. t Biostatistician, University Health Services, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass; Lecturer, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Mass. ‡ Director of Clinical Laboratory, Long Island Hospital, Boston, Mass. Despite extensive clinical and physiologic research, many questions remain unanswered regarding the mode of action of organic nitrates. Additional questions associated with another area of research-the metabolic fate of these agents in humans-have been virtually unexplored. The paucity of this latter information seems related to the fact that extremely sensitive analytic procedures are required to measure, in body fluids, the presence of organic nitrates and their metabolic products that result from clinically feasible doses. Complicating this is the unanswered question of whether the metabolism of orally administered organic nitrates begins in the intestinal tract and, if it does, whether it is affected by varying rates of absorption. Hence, when attempts are made to delineate the final metabolic product(s) of organic nitrates and relate these to physiologic activity, our lack of understanding is apparent. There is some evidence that the administration of organic nitrates leads to variations in blood

The clinical evaluation of sustained release antitussives.

Excerpt INTRODUCTION In recent years significant advances have been made in the development of forms of medication which will more effectively provide the patient with the total daily prescribed do...