Buphenyl Disease Interactions

The use of sodium phenylbutyrate may cause fluid retention in patients with congestive heart failure, renal dysfunction, or sodium retention with edema. Sodium phenylbutyrate is primarily excreted by the kidney and these patients may exhibit reduced excretion. Therapy with sodium phenylbutyrate should be administered cautiously in these patients. Monitoring plasma levels of ammonia, arginine, branched-chain amino acids and serum proteins to maintain within normal limits and glutamine to less than 1000 mcmol/L is recommended.

Sodium phenylbutyrate is primarily metabolized in the liver and kidney. Therapy with sodium phenylbutyrate should be administered cautiously in patients with liver disease. Monitoring plasma levels of ammonia, arginine, branched-chain amino acids and serum proteins to maintain within normal limits and glutamine to less than 1000 mcmol/L is recommended.

Sodium phenylbutyrate is a pro-drug and is rapidly metabolized to the active, phenylacetate. Neurotoxicity, including exacerbation of a preexisting neuropathy, has been reported with the use of intravenous phenylacetate. The acute onset and reversibility when the phenylacetate infusion was discontinued suggested a drug effect. Care should be exercised when prescribing sodium phenylbutyrate to patients at risk for neurotoxicity.