PHENAZOPYRIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE
| PHENAZOPYRIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE (fen-az-oh-peer'i-deen) Azo-Standard, Baridium, Geridium, Phenazo  , Phenazodine, Pyridiate, Pyridium, Pyronium , Urodine, UrogesicClassifications: urinary tract analgesic; Therapeutic: urinary tract analgesic Pregnancy Category: B |
Availability
95 mg, 97.2 mg, 100 mg, 150 mg, 200 mg tablets
Action
Azo dye that has local anesthetic action on urinary tract mucosa, which imparts little or no antibacterial activity.
Therapeutic Effect
Effective as a urinary tract analgesic.
Uses
Symptomatic relief of pain, burning, frequency, and urgency arising from irritation of urinary tract mucosa, as from infection, trauma, surgery, or instrumentation.
Contraindications
Renal insufficiency, glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis, renal failure, uremia; hepatic disease; glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, severe hepatitis.
Cautious Use
GI disturbances; older adults; pregnancy (category B), lactation.
Route & Dosage
| Cystitis Adult: PO 200 mg t.i.d. Child: PO 12 mg/kg/d in 3 divided doses |
Administration
Oral- Give with or after meals.
Adverse Effects (≥1%)
Body as a Whole: Headache, vertigo. GI: Mild GI disturbances. Urogenital: Kidney stones, transient acute kidney failure. Metabolic: Methemoglobinemia, hemolytic anemia. Skin: Skin pigmentation. Special Senses: May stain soft contact lenses.Diagnostic Test Interference
Phenazopyridine may interfere with any urinary test that is based on color reactions or spectrometry: bromsulphalein and phenolsulfonphthalein excretion tests; urinary glucose test using Clinistix or TesTape (copper-reduction methods such as Clinitest and Benedict's test reportedly not affected); bilirubin using "foam test" or Ictotest; ketones using nitroprusside (e.g., Acetest, Ketostix, or Gerhardt ferric chloride); urinary protein using Albustix, Albutest, or nitric acid ring test; urinary steroids; urobilinogen; assays for porphyrins.
Interactions
Drug: No clinically significant interactions established.Pharmacokinetics
Absorption: Readily absorbed from GI tract. Distribution: Crosses placenta in trace amounts. Metabolism: In liver and other tissues. Elimination: Primarily in urine.Nursing Implications
Assessment & Drug Effects
- Lab tests: Obtain periodic blood work and kidney function tests in patients on prolonged therapy or with impaired kidney function.
Patient & Family Education
- Be aware that drug will impart an orange to red color to urine and may stain fabric.
- Discontinue drug report to physician immediately the appearance of yellowish tinge to skin or sclerae may indicate drug accumulation due to renal impairment.
- Discontinue drug when pain and discomfort are relieved (usually 3–15 d). Keep physician informed.
Common adverse effects in italic, life-threatening effects underlined; generic names in bold; classifications in SMALL CAPS; Canadian drug name; 
Prototype drug