The pharmacokinetics of intravenous isosorbide dinitrate was investigated in 11 patients with labile hypertension and with normal renal and hepatic functions. The mode of administration (constant rate infusion without loading dose) was chosen in order to minimize side-effects and to approximate clinical conditions. Isosorbide dinitrate levels were measured by electron-capture gas chromatography. The volume of distribution during steady state (Vd beta = 318 +/- 117 I) and the elimination half-life (t1/2 beta = 64.8 +/- 30.5 min) were similar to those found after perlingual and oral administration. Systemic clearance (Cls = 3.80 +/- 1.48 I/min) was high for a drug given intravenously, presumably because of active hepatic extraction, intensive pre-systemic degradation and very active extra-hepatic metabolism. These findings should be compared with the considerable inter-individual variations observed in theoretical plasma concentrations during steady state and with the presence of two pharmacokinetic models (one -- and two -- compartments) in the patients under study. Comparison of the results obtained by the intravenous route with previously published results after perlingual and oral administration indicates the following bioavailability ratios: perlingual/i.v. = 31%, oral/i.v. = 20%, and oral/perlingual = 63%.