Methenamine Hippurate

( Hiprex )

Last Reviewed: Oct 25, 2024

Pros & Cons


Methenamine Hippurate (Hiprex) Pros and Cons

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  • Methenamine works well to prevent and treat recurrent urinary tract infections.
  • It can be less expensive and more effective than prophylaxis with other low-dose antibiotics.
  • It is generally well tolerated and causes few, if any, side effects.
  • Methenamine is rapidly absorbed from the digestive tract and is less likely to affect gut flora.

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  • You cannot take methenamine to treat an active infection. 
  • Methenamine and other antibiotics do not treat viral infections.
  • You need to take methenamine hippurate twice daily for several months.
  • The antibacterial activity of methenamine depends on urine acidity (pH 5.5 or lower). You therefore need to avoid certain foods and medicines that are urinary alkalinizers during treatment with methenamine.