Adult Dosing
Pneumocystitis carinii pneumonia (PCP)
- 4 mg/kg IM/IV daily x2-3 wks
Pediatric Dosing
Pneumocystitis carinii pneumonia (PCP)
- Child >4 months: 4 mg/kg IM/IV Daily x2-3 wks
Renal Dose Adjustment: (Based on CrCl)
- <10 mL/min: Give q24-36 hrs
Hepatic Dose Adjustment
- Hepatic impairment: Dose adjustments not defined, caution advised
- Treatment with pentamidine may result in severe hypotension, hypoglycemia, acute pancreatitis and cardiac arrhythmias
- Pentamidine should be administered only in patients with Pneumocystis carinii as severe hypotension may develop after single IM or IV dose
- Closely monitor patients for the development of serious adverse reactions
- Extravasation proceeded to ulceration, tissue necrosis or sloughing have been reported with the therapy requiring surgical debridement and skin grafting
- If extravasation occurs, discontinue therapy and restart it in another vein
- Cautiously administer in patients with hypetension, hypotension, ventricular tachycardia, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, hypocalcemia, pancreatitis, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, hepatic or renal dysfunction and Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- To avoid severe hypotension patients receiving the therapy should be lying down and the blood pressure should be monitored closely during administration and thereafter
- Closely monitor blood glucose levels daily during therapy and thereafter because pentamidine-induced hyperglycemia may occur
Cautions: Use cautiously in
- Renal impairment
- Concomitant nephrotoxic drugs
- Hepatic impairment
- Hypotension
- Tachycardia
- Hypoglycemia
- Thrombocytopenia
- Anemia
- Hyperglycemia
- Diabetes mellitus
- Hypertension
- Leukopenia
- Hypocalcemia
- Pancreatitis history
Pregnancy Category:C
Breastfeeding: Unsafe. Due to the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants, manufacturer recommends discontinuation of nursing or discontinuation of drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.
