| DRUG | SUPPLIED | DOSE | COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| MESALAMINE (Paeds) (Synonyms: 5-ASA, mesalazine; Brand names: Asacol, Novo-5ASA, Pentasa, Salofalk) Mechanism of action: 5-ASA derivative; Anti-inflammatory Ref: 1, 32, 44 Last update: 2019-04-28 |
enteric coated tablet: 400 mg (Novo-5ASA) 500 mg (Salofalk) 500 mg ER (Pentasa) enema: 2 g, 4 g in 58.2 mL (Salofalk) 1g in 100 mL (Pentasa) suppository: 500 mg (Salofalk) 1 g (Pentasa) |
Oral: 30-40 mg/kg/dose PO BID (Max 4.8 g/day or up to 100 mg/kg/day) Suppository: 25 mg/kg PR QHS (Max 1 g/dose) Maximum combined PO & PR daily dose: 6.4 g Enema: 4 g PR QHS for acute episodes 2 g PR QHS to prevent relapse |
Do not crush tablets; swallow whole. Once daily dosing is equally effective but may result in more side effects. Maintenance doses should be similar. Lower doses may be considered after a period of sustained remission. The minimum effective dose in adults is 1.2 g/day. Mesalamine products are NOT interchangeable as per the College of Pharmacists of BC due to differences in dissolution characteristics. Contraindicated in patients with salicylate allergy and severe renal or hepatic impairment. Do not administer with medications that can lower intestinal pH. Standard Prescription: mesalamine mg PO__(frequency) ( mg/kg/24hr). |