3.2 Metabolism and Elimination
Clevidipine is rapidly hydrolyzed by esterases predominantly in
the blood and extravascular tissues,[3]with red blood cell esterases
responsible for most of the metabolism that occurs in the blood,
according to an in vitro study.[26] The two main metabolites produced by the hydrolysis of the clevidipine ester bond are a carboxylic acid metabolite with no antihypertensive activity and
formaldehyde, with the carboxylic acid metabolite subsequently
undergoing oxidation or glucuronidation to pyridine derivatives.[3]