Drug absorption during physical exercise.

1 The effect of exercise on the absorption of quinidine sulphate, sodium salicylate and sulphadimidine was studied in healthy volunteers. 2 The study was a randomized cross-over design with work and rest. The work load was 450 kpm/min for females and 600 kpm/min for males on a bicycle ergometer intermittently for 3 h. 3 The plasma concentrations of the drugs were followed during the entire experiment and their respective peak concentrations (Cmax) and time to peak (tmax) were determined. 4 No significant differences in the Cmax and tmax were found between rest and work for any of the drugs. 5 The results suggest that physical exercise is not a major source of variation in drug absorption.