Nalidixic Acid Dosage

Usual Adult Dose for Urinary Tract Infection

Initial therapy: 1 g orally 4 times a day for 1 or 2 weeks
Prolonged therapy: May reduce to 2 g/day after initial therapy

Comments:

• Underdosing during initial therapy may lead to the emergence of bacterial resistance.

Use: For the treatment of urinary tract infections due to susceptible gram-negative microorganisms, including most Escherichia coli, Enterobacter species, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Morganella morganii, Proteus mirabilis, P vulgaris, Providencia rettgeri

Usual Pediatric Dose for Urinary Tract Infection

3 months to 12 years:

• Initial therapy: 55 mg/kg/day orally in 4 equally divided doses for 1 or 2 weeks
• Maximum adult dose: 4 g/day
• Prolonged therapy: May reduce to 33 mg/kg/day after initial therapy
• Maximum adult dose: 2 g/day

13 years or older:

• Initial therapy: 1 g orally 4 times a day for 1 or 2 weeks
• Prolonged therapy: May reduce to 2 g/day after initial therapy

Comments:

• Underdosing during initial therapy may lead to the emergence of bacterial resistance.

Use: For the treatment of urinary tract infections due to susceptible gram-negative microorganisms, including most E coli, Enterobacter species, K pneumoniae, M morganii, P mirabilis, P vulgaris, P rettgeri

Renal Dose Adjustments

CrCl greater than 20 mL/min: No adjustment recommended.
CrCl 20 mL/min or less: Dose should be halved.

Comments:

• This drug should be used with caution in patients with renal dysfunction.

Liver Dose Adjustments

Liver disease: Caution recommended.

Precautions

CONTRAINDICATIONS:

• Known hypersensitivity to the active component or to related compounds
• Infants younger than 3 months
• Porphyria
• History of convulsive disorders
• Coadministration with melphalan or other related cancer chemotherapeutic alkylating agents

Safety and efficacy have not been established in patients younger than 3 months.

Consult WARNINGS section for additional precautions.

Dialysis

Data not available

Other Comments

Administration advice:

• Perform disc susceptibility testing with the 30-mcg disc before using this drug, and during therapy if warranted by clinical response.
• May administer with or without meals
• Do not administer antacids (containing calcium, aluminum, magnesium), sucralfate, divalent or trivalent cations (e.g., iron), multivitamins containing zinc, or didanosine (chewable/buffered tablets) within 2 hours before or 2 hours after this drug.

Storage requirements:

• Store at room temperature, up to 30C (86F).

General:

• This drug should be used with caution in patients with epilepsy, severe cerebral arteriosclerosis, or glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.
• To reduce the development of drug-resistant organisms and maintain effective therapy, antibiotics should be used only to treat or prevent infections proven or strongly suspected to be caused by susceptible bacteria.
• Culture and susceptibility information should be considered when selecting/modifying antibacterial therapy or, if no data are available, local epidemiology and susceptibility patterns may be considered when selecting empiric therapy.
• If clinical response is unsatisfactory or if relapse occurs, cultures and sensitivity tests should be repeated.

Monitoring:

• Hematologic: Blood counts (periodically if therapy exceeds 2 weeks)
• Hepatic: Liver function tests (periodically if therapy exceeds 2 weeks)
• Renal: Renal function (periodically if therapy exceeds 2 weeks)

Patient advice:

• Avoid missing doses and complete the entire course of therapy.
• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Stop this drug if tendon pain, inflammation, or rupture occurs; rest and do not exercise until diagnosis of tendinitis or tendon rupture excluded.
• Stop this drug and contact physician if symptoms of peripheral neuropathy (including pain, burning, tingling, numbness, weakness) develop.
• Consult physician at once if watery and bloody stools (with or without stomach cramps and fever) develop.
• Do not drive, operate machinery, or engage in other tasks that require mental alertness or coordination until you know how the drug affects you.
• Avoid excessive sunlight or artificial ultraviolet light during therapy; stop this drug if phototoxicity occurs.

See also:

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer