Phenazopyridine - Benefits, dosage and side effects

2023 Author: Autumn Gilbert | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 07:39

Phenazopyridine is a drug to relieve symptoms caused by urinary tract irritation, such as pain, burning, or the urge to urinate that occurs frequently or is unbearable. This medication only treats symptoms, but does not treat the cause of urinary tract irritation

Phenazopyridine is a pain reliever for the urinary tract. This drug works as a local anesthetic by soothing the irritated or inflamed urinary tract wall. Inflammatory conditions of the urinary tract wall are usually caused by infection, injury, surgery, or the use of a urinary catheter.

Phenazopyridine trademark: Nexurin, Urogetix

What is Phenazopyridine

Class	Prescription drugs
Categories	urinary tract analgesia
Benefits	Relieves symptoms due to urinary tract irritation
Consumed by	Adults and children aged 6 years
Phenazopyridine for pregnant and lactating women	Category B: Animal studies have not shown any risk to the fetus, but there have been no controlled studies in pregnant women. The safety of phenazopyridine in breastfeeding mothers is unknown. However, breastfeeding mothers are advised to avoid this drug because of the possible danger to the baby.
Medicine form	Tablets

Warning Before Taking Phenazopyridine

Phenazopyridine should only be consumed according to a doctor's prescription. Note the following points before using phenazopyridine:

• Tell your doctor about any allergies you have. Phenazopyridine should not be used by patients who are allergic to this drug.
• Tell your doctor if you have kidney disease or severe hepatitis. Phenazopyridine should not be used by patients with this condition.
• Tell your doctor if you have or have had liver disease, diabetes, or blood disorders, such as hemolytic anemia and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning a pregnancy.
• Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, supplements, or herbal products.
• Tell your doctor that you are taking phenazopyridine if you plan to do a urine test to check for sugar and ketone levels.
• Do not wear contact lenses while taking phenazopyridine, as this medicine can make urine and tears orange or red and stain contact lenses.
• Do not drive a vehicle or do activities that require alertness after taking phenazopyridine, because this drug can cause dizziness.
• Do not consume alcoholic beverages while on treatment with phenazopyridine because it can increase the risk of side effects.
• See your doctor immediately if you have an allergic reaction, overdose, or serious side effects.

Dosage and Instructions for Use of Phenazopyridine

The dose of phenazopyridine will be adjusted according to the patient's age, condition, and response to treatment. The following are general doses of phenazopyridine based on the purpose of treatment:

Aim: Relieves anyang-anyangan and pain and burning when urinating due to irritation of the lower urinary tract mucosa,

• Adults and children aged >12 years: 100–200 mg, 3 times a day.
• Children aged 6–12 years: 12 mg/kgBW per day, divided into 3 consumption schedules with an interval of 8 hours.

If phenazopyridine is used with antibiotics to treat a urinary tract infection, do not take this medicine for more than 2 days.

How to Take Phenazopyridine Correctly

Consume phenazopyridine according to the doctor's recommendations and read the instructions for use on the packaging. Do not increase or decrease the dose of the drug you are taking without a doctor's advice.

Phenazopyridine needs to be taken with food or immediately after eating. Swallow the phenazopyridine tablet whole with a glass of water. Do not bite or chew the medicine as it can stain the teeth.

We recommend taking phenazopyridine at the same time every day so that the effect of the drug is more effective. This drug can usually be stopped when the symptoms improve.

If you forget to take phenazopyridine, take it immediately if the interval between the next consumption is not too close. If it's close, ignore it and don't double the next dose.

Store phenazopyridine in a closed container in a dry and cool place away from sun exposure. Keep this medicine out of reach of children.

Phenazopyridine Interaction with Other Drugs

Some drug interactions that can occur if phenazopyridine is used with certain drugs include:

• Increased risk of methemoglobinemia when used with sodium nitrate, or local anesthetics, such as etidocaine, prilocaine, bupivacaine, chloroprocaine, lidocaine, levobupivacaine, mepivacaine, procaine, ropivacaine, or tetracaine
• Increased risk of liver failure or damage when used with leflunomide, mipomersen, teriflunomide, pexdartinib, or Bedaquiline

Side Effects and Dangers of Phenazopyridine

Phenazopyridine can make urine and tears orange or red. Although rare, urine can also become foamy due to the consumption of this drug. These side effects are normal during the use of phenazopyridine. Other side effects that can occur after taking phenazopyridine are:

• Headache
• Dizzy spinning
• stomach ache

Contact your doctor if the above side effects do not improve or get worse. Immediately see a doctor if there is an allergic reaction to the drug or a more serious side effect, such as:

• Vomiting
• Body swelling and drastic weight gain
• Confusion, loss of appetite, or lower back pain
• Skin with bluish or purplish color
• Jaundice
• Body bruises or bleeds easily
• Fever or chills
• Feeling very tired, short of breath, palpitations, or convulsions
• Kidney disorders that can be characterized by a reduced amount of urine or bloody urine