Propylthiouracil

Adults: Propylthiouracil is taken by mouth. The total daily dose is usually split into 3 equal doses, taken about 8 hours apart. Adults: The starting dose is 300 mg daily. If a patient has severe hyperthyroidism, a very large goiter, or both, the starting dose may be raised to 400 mg daily. An occasional patient will need 600 to 900 mg daily at the start. The usual maintenance dose is 100 to 150 mg daily. Pediatric patients: Propylthiouracil is generally not recommended for children, except in rare cases where other treatments are not suitable. Studies to find the right dosing regimen haven't been done in children. General practice suggests starting at 50 mg daily in patients 6 years or older, then raising the dose carefully according to the clinical response and the TSH and free T4 levels. Severe liver injury has been reported with doses as low as 50 mg/day, though most cases were linked to doses of 300 mg/day and higher. Geriatric patients: Reported clinical experience has not found differences in response between elderly and younger patients. Still, the dose for an elderly patient should be chosen with caution, because decreased liver, kidney or heart function is more common in this age group, as are other diseases and other drug therapy.