Clindamycin Dosing in Elderly Patients with Impaired Renal Function

Recommended Dosing

• For severe infections in elderly patients with renal impairment, the American College of Physicians recommends 300-600 mg of clindamycin every 8 hours orally or 300-600 mg every 6 hours intravenously 1
• For babesiosis treatment in elderly patients with renal impairment, the Infectious Diseases Society of America recommends 300-600 mg of clindamycin every 6 hours intravenously or 600 mg every 8 hours orally 1

Special Considerations for Severe Renal Impairment

• The American Thoracic Society notes that clindamycin can generally maintain normal dosing intervals in patients with severe renal impairment, unlike many other antibiotics that require reduced frequency 2

Important Precautions

• The American Geriatrics Society warns that elderly patients often have decreased renal function that may go unrecognized, with GFR decreasing approximately 8 ml/min each decade after age 40, and up to 26% of persons over 70 years of age having chronic kidney disease 4