Rimantadine Dosing

For adults who are taking rimantadine, dosing generally starts at 100 mg twice daily. Elderly people and those with kidney failure or severe liver disease may need a lower dosage, such as 100 mg once daily. The usual adult dose is recommended for children ages 10 and over. For children ages one to nine, however, rimantadine dosing is determined by the child's weight.

 

Rimantadine Dosage: An Introduction

The dose of rimantadine hydrochloride (Flumadine®) that your healthcare provider recommends will vary depending on a number of factors, including:
 
  • Whether you are treating or preventing the flu
  • Your age
  • Your weight (for children)
  • Your kidney and liver function
  • Other medications you may currently be taking.
     
As always, do not adjust your rimantadine dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
 

Rimantadine Dosing for Adults

The recommended rimantadine dose for treating or preventing the flu in adults is 100 mg twice daily. A lower dose (rimantadine 100 mg once daily) is recommended for people with kidney failure or severe liver disease and for elderly nursing home residents. For flu treatment, rimantadine should be started as soon as possible within 48 hours of the start of flu symptoms. It should be continued for about seven days after the first symptoms. For flu prevention, it is not clear how long rimantadine should be continued.
 

Rimantadine Dosing for Children

Rimantadine is approved only for preventing (not treating) the flu in children. For children 10 years old and over, the usual adult dose is recommended (rimantadine 100 mg twice daily). For children ages one to nine years old, the recommended dose is based on weight. The recommended dose is 5 mg per kg of body weight (about 2.3 mg per pound) once a day, not to exceed 150 mg per day. In order to get the appropriate dose, rimantadine syrup (instead of tablets) may be used. It is not clear how long rimantadine should be continued.
 
(Rimantadine Dosing Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;