Renal insufficiency drug dosing

Although the pharmacokinetics of rifaximin in patients with renal insufficiency has not been specifically studied, its very low renal excretion makes any dose adjustment unnecessary. The same holds true for patients with hepatic insufficiency. In fact, the mean peak drug plasma concentrations (i.e. 13.5 ng/ml) detected in subjects with hepatic encephalopathy patients given rifaximin 800 mg 3 times daily for 7 days [34, 108] were not dissimilar to those found in healthy subjects [102] and patients with IBD [98], Indeed, in all the trials performed in this condition the drug has been well tolerated [33, 77],... 

Oral colchicine causes dose-dependent GI adverse effects (nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea) in 50% to 80% of patients before relief of the attack. Non-GI adverse effects include neutropenia and axonal neuromyopathy, which may be worsened in patients taking other myopathic drugs (e.g., statins) or in those with renal insufficiency. Colchicine should not be used concurrently with macrolide antibiotics (especially clarithromycin) because reduced biliary excretion may lead to increased plasma colchicine levels and agranulocytosis. 

Drug therapy individualization for patients with renal insufficiency sometimes requires only a simple proportional dose adjustment based on creatinine clearance (CLcr). Alternatively, complex adjustments are required for drugs that are extensively metabolized or undergo dramatic changes in protein binding and distribution volume. 

The dose of aciclovir in patients with renal impairment should be reduced as aciclovir is eliminated by the renal system. Most penicillins are eliminated by the renal system and hence dose reduction of amoxicillin is required in cases of renal impairment. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs cause the inhibition of the biosynthesis of prostaglandins involved in the maintenance of renal blood flow. This may precipitate acute renal insufficiency in patients with renal impairment. Furthermore non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs tend to cause water and sodium retention and hence aggrevate renal impairment. 

Ototoxicity has been reported during therapy with all loop diuretics. This effect seems to be dose related and is most common in patients with renal insufficiency. Deafness is usually reversed when these drugs are discontinued, but irreversible hearing loss has been reported after administration of ethacrynic acid, and this has led to a marked decrease in its use. 

Heparin s action is terminated by uptake and metabolism by the reticuloendothelial system and liver and by renal excretion of the unchanged drug and its de-polymerized and desulfated metabolite. The relative proportion of administered drug that is excreted as unchanged heparin increases as the dose increases. Renal insufficiency reduces the rate of heparin clearance from the blood. 

For parenteral therapy, nafciUin and oxacillin offer comparable efficacy and antimicrobial spectra of activity. Although both drugs undergo hepatic metabolism, only nafcillin requires dose adjustment in patients with combined hepatic and renal insufficiency. Other pharmacokinetic data for nafcillin and oxacillin appear in Table 45.1. Indications for nafcillin or oxacillin include severe staphylococcal infections like cellulitis, empyema, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, pneumonia, septic arthritis, and toxic shock syndrome. 

Captopril s pharmacokinetic parameters and dosing recommendations are set forth in Table 11-2. Peak concentrations of enalaprilat, the active metabolite of enalapril, occur 3-4 hours after dosing with enalapril. The half-life of enalaprilat is about 11 hours. Typical doses of enalapril are 10-20 mg once or twice daily. Lisinopril has a half-life of 12 hours. Doses of 10-80 mg once daily are effective in most patients. All of the ACE inhibitors except fosinopril and moexipril are eliminated primarily by the kidneys doses of these drugs should be reduced in patients with renal insufficiency. 

ACE inhibitors are contraindicated during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy because of the risk of fetal hypotension, anuria, and renal failure, sometimes associated with fetal malformations or death. Recent evidence also implicates first-trimester exposure to ACE inhibitors in increased teratogenic risk. Captopril, particularly when given in high doses to patients with renal insufficiency, may cause neutropenia or proteinuria. Minor toxic effects seen more typically include altered sense of taste, allergic skin rashes, and drug fever, which may occur in up to 10% of patients. 

The carbonic anhydrase inhibitors are well absorbed after oral administration. An increase in urine pH from the HC03 diuresis is apparent within 30 minutes, is maximal at 2 hours, and persists for 12 hours after a single dose. Excretion of the drug is by secretion in the proximal tubule S2 segment. Therefore, dosing must be reduced in renal insufficiency. 

Most of the drug is inactivated either by conjugation with glucuronic acid (principally in the liver) or by reduction to inactive aryl amines. Active chloramphenicol (about 10% of the total dose administered) and its inactive degradation products (about 90% of the total) are eliminated in the urine. A small amount of active drug is excreted into bile and feces. The systemic dosage of chloramphenicol need not be altered in renal insufficiency, but it must be reduced markedly in hepatic failure. Newborns less than a week old and premature infants also clear chloramphenicol less well, and the dosage should be reduced to 25 mg/kg/d. 

Dosage adjustments must be made to prevent accumulation of drug and toxicity in patients with renal insufficiency. Either the dose of drug is kept constant and the interval between doses is increased, or the interval is kept constant and the dose is reduced. Nomograms and formulas have been constructed relating serum creatinine levels to adjustments in... 

Adefovir dipivoxil is well tolerated. A dose-dependent nephrotoxicity has been observed in clinical trials, manifested by increased serum creatinine with decreased serum phosphorous and more common in patients with baseline renal insufficiency and those receiving high doses (60 mg/d). Other potential adverse effects are headache, diarrhea, asthenia, and abdominal pain. As with other NRTI agents, lactic acidosis and hepatic steatosis are considered a risk owing to mitochondrial dysfunction. No clinically important drug-drug interactions have been recognized to date. Pivalic acid, a by-product of adefovir dipivoxil metabolism, can esterify free carnitine and result in decreased carnitine levels. However, it is not felt necessary to administer carnitine supplementation with the low doses used to treat patients with HBV (10 mg/d). 

Nitrofurantoin is well absorbed after ingestion. It is metabolized and excreted so rapidly that no systemic antibacterial action is achieved. The drug is excreted into the urine by both glomerular filtration and tubular secretion. With average daily doses, concentrations of 200 mcg/mL are reached in urine. In renal failure, urine levels are insufficient for antibacterial action, but high blood levels may cause toxicity. Nitrofurantoin is contraindicated in patients with significant renal insufficiency. 

The highly polar ionic character of EDTA limits its oral absorption. Moreover, oral administration may increase lead absorption from the gut. Consequently, EDTA should be administered by intravenous infusion. In patients with normal renal function, EDTA is rapidly excreted by glomerular filtration, with 50% of an injected dose appearing in the urine within 1 hour. EDTA mobilizes lead from soft tissues, causing a marked increase in urinary lead excretion and a corresponding decline in blood lead concentration. In patients with renal insufficiency, excretion of the drug—and its metal-mobilizing effects—may be delayed. 

All of the ACE inhibitors except fosinopril and moexipril are eliminated primarily by the kidneys doses of these drugs should be reduced in patients with renal insufficiency. 

Metformin has a half-life of 1.5-3 hours, is not bound to plasma proteins, is not metabolized, and is excreted by the kidneys as the active compound. As a consequence of metformin s blockade of gluconeogenesis, the drug may impair the hepatic metabolism of lactic acid. In patients with renal insufficiency, biguanides accumulate and thereby increase the risk of lactic acidosis, which appears to be a dose-related complication. 

Carbapenems penetrate body tissues and fluids well, including the cerebrospinal fluid. All are cleared renally, and the dose must be reduced in patients with renal insufficiency. The usual dose of imipenem is 0.25-0.5 g given intravenously every 6-8 hours (half-life 1 hour). The usual adult dose of meropenem is 1 g intravenously every 8 hours. Ertapenem has the longest half-life (4 hours) and is administered as a once-daily dose of 1 g intravenously or intramuscularly. Intramuscular ertapenem is irritating, and for that reason the drug is formulated with 1% lidocaine for administration by this route. 

Vancomycin is poorly absorbed from the intestinal tract and is administered orally only for the treatment of antibiotic-associated enterocolitis caused by Clostridium difficile. Parenteral doses must be administered intravenously. A 1 hour intravenous infusion of 1 g produces blood levels of 15-30 jig/mL for 1-2 hours. The drug is widely distributed in the body. Cerebrospinal fluid levels 7-30% of simultaneous serum concentrations are achieved if there is meningeal inflammation. Ninety percent of the drug is excreted by glomerular filtration. In the presence of renal insufficiency, striking accumulation may occur (Table 43-2). In functionally anephric patients, the... 

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