Important wayfinding information for patients visiting the CONNECT Clinic »

Renal dosing and insufficiency: Drug dosing considerations

Acyclovir IV

Dosing

  • Usual Dosage: 5 - 10 mg/kg q8h
  • CrCl 30 - 49 mL/min: Usual dose q12h
  • CrCl 10 - 29 mL/min: Usual dose q24h
  • ESRD (CrCl < 10 mL/min): 50% of usual dose q24h
    • Monitor for CNS toxicity
  • PD: 50% of usual dose q24h
    • Monitor for CNS toxicity
  • HD: 50% of usual dose q24h
    • On dialysis days, give daily dose towards the end of HD
    • Monitor for CNS toxicity
  • CRRT: Usual dose q12h

Administration:  To reduce the risk of crystalline nephropathy, infuse 500 mL normal saline before starting acyclovir infusion. Infuse NS at 100 mL/h for a total infusion time of 5 hours.

*Restricted to Critical Care Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Neurology/Neurosurgery for herpes encephalitis

Acyclovir ORAL

Dosing

  • Usual Dosage: Variable
  • CrCl 30 - 49 mL/min: Usual dosage
  • CrCl 10 - 29 mL/min: 800 mg q8h. Max 2400 mg per day.
  • ESRD (CrCl < 10 mL/min): 800 mg q12h. Max 1600 mg per day.
    • Monitor for CNS toxicity
  • PD: 800 mg q12h. Max 1600 mg per day.
    • Monitor for CNS toxicity
  • HD: 800 mg q12h. Max 1600 mg per day.
    • On dialysis days, give one of the doses after HD
    • Monitor for CNS toxicity
  • CRRT: Usually IV acyclovir is used

Amantadine

Dosing

  • Usual Dosage: 100 mg q12h
  • CrCl 60 - 79 mL/min: 200 mg q2days (i.e., day 1, 3, 5, etc) alternating with 100 mg q2days (i.e., day 2, 4, 6, etc)
  • CrCl 40 - 59 mL/min: 100 mg daily
  • CrCl 30 - 39 mL/min: 100 mg 4 days per week
  • CrCl 20 - 29 mL/min: 100 mg 3 days per week
  • CrCl 10 - 19 mL/min: 200 mg q2weeks (i.e., week 1, 3, 5, etc) alternating with 100 mg q2weeks (i.e., week 2, 4, 6, etc)
  • ESRD (CrCl < 10 mL/min): 100 mg once weekly
  • PD: 100 mg once weekly
  • HD: 100 mg once weekly (not significantly dialyzed)
  • CRRT: 100 mg q48h

Amikacin

Please refer to the guideline for aminoglycosides.

Amoxicillin

Dosing

  • Usual Dosage: 500 mg q8h
  • ESRD (CrCl < 10 mL/min): Usual dosage
  • PD: Usual dosage
  • HD: Usual dosage
    • On dialysis days, give one of the doses towards the end of HD (removed by HD)
  • CRRT: Usual dosage

For Gram negative bacteremia in patients with normal renal function, doses of up to 1 g TID may be considered

Amoxicillin + clavulanic acid

Dosing

Oral Formulation: 

  • Dose adjustment not required

IV Formulation:

  • > 30 mL/min: No change
  • 10-30 mL/min: 500mg/100mg IV every 8 hours
  • < 10 mL/min: 500mg/100mg IV every 12 hours
  • HD: 500mg/100mg IV every 8 hours (cleared by dialysis)

Amphotericin B

Dosing

  • Usual Dosage: 0.5 to 1 mg/kg q24h
  • No dosage adjustment for renal impairment or dialysis

Amphotericin B Liposomal

Dosing

  • Usual Dosage: 3 to 5 mg/kg q24h
  • No dosage adjustment for renal impairment or dialysis

*Restricted to Infectious Diseases

Ampicillin IV

Dosing

  • Usual Dosage: 2 g q4 - 6h
  • CrCl 30 - 49 mL/min: Usual dosage
  • CrCl 10 - 29 mL/min: 2 g IV q6h
  • ESRD (CrCl < 10 mL/min): 2 g q8 - 12h
  • PD: 2 g q8 - 12h
  • HD: 2 g q8 - 12h
    • On dialysis days, give one of the doses towards the end of HD (removed by HD)
  • CRRT: 2 g q4 - 6h
  • SLED: 2 g q4 - 6h on dialysis days; and ESRD dosing on non-dialysis days

Atovaquone

Dosing

  • Usual Dosage: Variable
  • No dosage adjustment for renal impairment or dialysis

Azithromycin

Dosing

  • Usual Dosage: 250 to 500 mg q24h
  • No dosage adjustment for renal impairment or dialysis