General Information on Hiprex
The generic name of Hiprex is methenamine and it is a urinary antiinfective medicine. Hiprex is prescribed for treatment and prevention of urinary tract infection. Methenamine cannot treat any active infections and hence Hiprex is used only after other antibiotics have been used for treating and curing the bacterial infection. Hiprex has the ability to prevent or stop growth of bacteria in urine. Hiprex basically has an ingredient, which makes urine acidic and Methenamine once administered turns into formaldehyde and kills the bacteria.
Side effects of Hiprex
Hiprex, like most of the medicines in its class, has minor or mild side effects. The most common side effects are upset stomach and nausea. Hiprex can also cause severe side effects in patients with a weak immune system like rashes, hives, redness of skin due to itching, blood in urine, swelling of face and mouth, breathing difficulty, swelling of tongue, and tightness in the chest. If you experience these symptoms, especially blood in your urine, then consult your doctor immediately.
Administration of Hiprex can cause genitourinary side effects like hematuria, dysuria, albuminuria, and increase in urine frequency, bladder wall irritation, gross hematuria, and frequent micturition.
Some of the rare side effects of Hiprex administration include anterior uveitis (ocular), renal insufficiency, and transient elevations of ALT (SGPT) and AST (SGOT).
Precautions
You must consult your doctor before you buy Hiprex if you are already suffering from serious problems in the liver and kidney. It is not recommended for women in advanced stage of pregnancy and you should consult the doctor before administration. One of the important aspects to understand is that Hiprex is a medicine used for treatment of a specific bacterial infection and should not be used for all bacterial or virus infections.
Hiprex Dosage
You can buy Hiprex in the form of white colored, oval shaped tablets, available in packs of 100 tablets with each tablet containing Hiprex 1g. The standard dosage of Hiprex 1g is twice daily in the morning and night for adults and children over 12 years of age. For children between 6-12 years of age, the dosage should be 1/2 to 1 tablet (Hiprex 0.5g to 1g) twice a day. It is an oral medicine and can be taken with or without food. If you miss a dose then take the dose as soon as possible but at the same time ensure that you are not taking 2 doses of Hiprex 1g simultaneously. Store Methenamine tablets in temperatures between 590F and 860F (150C and 300C). It should not be stored in moist places like bathroom and kept away from children.
Interactions
During administration of Hiprex, it is advised to avoid intake of citrus fruits like lemon and orange as this might lead to interactions. Milk and dairy products as well as antacids should also be avoided during treatment. Apart from interactions, these food products can also decrease the overall effectiveness of the medicine or treatment. Restriction on intake of other alkalinizing medicines should be followed as this can also lead to Hiprex interactions.
