The pharmacokinetics of single doses of metoclopramide in renal failure

The pharmacokinetics of metoclopramide have been studied after intravenous and oral dosing (10 mg) to 6 patients with chronic renal failure. The mean terminal half-life was 13.9 h after intravenous and 14.8 h after oral administration. Total body clearance after i. v. dosing was 16.7 l/h. Oral bioavailability was 71.8%. In comparison to previous studies on normal subjects these results indicate that clearance of metoclopramide in renal failure is approximately 30% of normals. This difference is not accounted for by the change in renal clearance and suggests impaired metabolism or an alteration in enterohepatic circulation of metoclopramide in renal failure.