A slow-release lithium preparation was compared with a standard
formulation in normal volunteers and in patients. Pharmacokinetic
parameters of normal volunteers were examined after a single dose of each
form and the steady-state levels after a b.i.d. dose of the slow- release
form. These initial single-dose data suggested that the two formulations
are not bioequivalent. However, the area under the curve of the two forms
was similar, and the essentially complete recovery of lithium from urine in
steady state indicates equal bioavailability. The patients' steady-state
levels for the two formulations essentially confirmed the normal subjects'
data: with the slow-release form plasma lithium levels were slightly
higher, and the postdose lithium level variability was decreased by as much
as 50%.
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