Parenteral Administration
In some hospitalized patients with pathological hypersecretory conditions or intractable duodenal ulcers, or in patients who are unable to take oral medication, ranitidine hydrochloride may be administered parenterally according to the following recommendations:
Intramuscular Injection
50 mg (2 mL) every 6 to 8 hours. (No dilution necessary.)
Intermittent Intravenous Injection
Intermittent Bolus
50 mg (2 mL) every 6 to 8 hours. Dilute ranitidine injection, 50 mg, in 0.9% sodium chloride injection or other compatible IV solution (see Stability) to a concentration no greater than 2.5 mg/mL (20 mL). Inject at a rate no greater than 4 mL/min (5 minutes).
Intermittent Infusion
50 mg (2 mL) every 6 to 8 hours. Dilute ranitidine injection, 50 mg, in 5% dextrose injection or other compatible IV solution (see Stability) to a concentration no greater than 0.5 mg/mL (100 mL). Infuse at a rate no greater than 5 to 7 mL/min (15 to 20 minutes).
In some patients it may be necessary to increase dosage. When this is necessary, the increases should be made by more frequent administration of the dose, but generally should not exceed 400 mg/day.
Continuous Intravenous Infusion
Add ranitidine injection to 5% dextrose injection or other compatible IV solution (see Stability). Deliver at a rate of 6.25 mg/hour (e.g., 150 mg [6 mL] of ranitidine injection in 250 mL of 5% dextrose injection at 10.7 mL/hour).
For Zollinger-Ellison patients, dilute ranitidine injection in 5% dextrose injection or other compatible IV solution (see Stability) to a concentration no greater than 2.5 mg/mL. Start the infusion at a rate of 1.0 mg/kg/hour. If after 4 hours either a measured gastric acid output is >10 mEq/hour or the patient becomes symptomatic, the dose should be adjusted upward in 0.5 mg/kg/hour increments, and the acid output should be remeasured. Dosages up to 2.5 mg/kg/hour and infusion rates as high as 220 mg/hour have been used.
Pediatric Use
While limited data exist on the administration of IV ranitidine to children, the recommended dose in pediatric patients is for a total daily dose of 2 to 4 mg/kg, to be divided and administered every 6 to 8 hours, up to a maximum of 50 mg given every 6 to 8 hours. This recommendation is derived from adult clinical studies and pharmacokinetic data in pediatric patients. Limited data in neonatal patients (less than 1 month of age) receiving ECMO have shown that a dose of 2 mg/kg is usually sufficient to increase gastric pH to >4 for at least 15 hours. Therefore, doses of 2 mg/kg given every 12 to 24 hours or as a continuous infusion should be considered.
Dosage Adjustment for Patients with Impaired Renal Function
The administration of ranitidine as a continuous infusion has not been evaluated in patients with impaired renal function. On the basis of experience with a group of subjects with severely impaired renal function treated with ranitidine hydrochloride, the recommended dosage in patients with a creatinine clearance <50 mL/min is 50 mg every 18 to 24 hours. Should the patient’s condition require, the frequency of dosing may be increased to every 12 hours or even further with caution. Hemodialysis reduces the level of circulating ranitidine. Ideally, the dosing schedule should be adjusted so that the timing of a scheduled dose coincides with the end of hemodialysis.
Elderly patients are more likely to have decreased renal function, therefore caution should be exercised in dose selection, and it may be useful to monitor renal function (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY: Pharmacokinetics: Geriatric Useand PRECAUTIONS: Geriatric Use).
Stability
Undiluted, ranitidine injection tends to exhibit a yellow color that may intensify over time without adversely affecting potency. Ranitidine injection is stable for 48 hours at room temperature when added to or diluted with most commonly used IV solutions, e.g., 0.9% sodium chloride injection, 5% dextrose injection, 10% dextrose injection, lactated ringer's injection, or 5% sodium bicarbonate injection.
Note
Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration before administration whenever solution and container permit.