The pharmacokinetics of quinapril and its active metabolite, quinaprilat, were evaluated in 12 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on chronic hemodialysis. Each subject received a single 20-mg oral dose of quinapril 4 hours before a 4-hour hemodialysis treatment. Serial dialysate and blood samples were obtained over 4 and 96 hours, respectively. Samples were analyzed for quinapril and quinaprilat concentrations by gas chromatography. Mean tmax and Cmax values for quinapril were 1.2 hours and 129 ng/mL, respectively. Only one patient had detectable quinapril dialysate concentrations which accounted for 2.8% of the quinapril dose. Mean apparent plasma clearance for quinapril was 1275 mL/min with a mean half-life of 1.7 hours. Quinapril was extensively de-esterified to its diacid metabolite, quinaprilat. Mean tmax and Cmax for quinaprilat were 4.5 hours and 671 ng/mL, respectively. Mean apparent plasma clearance for quinaprilat was 24.0 mL/min with a mean half-life of 17.5 hours. As with quinapril, quinaprilat was not readily dialyzable. Only 5.4% of the administered quinapril dose was recovered as quinaprilat during a single hemodialysis treatment. In view of these results, supplemental quinapril doses need not be routinely given to patients following hemodialysis. Overall, quinapril and quinaprilat pharmacokinetics in patients with ESRD on chronic hemodialysis were not markedly different from those previously observed in patients with moderate to severe renal dysfunction (CLcr less than 29 mL/min) not yet requiring hemodialysis (RDND).