pentastarch (Pentaspan)

Indications

• plasma volume expansion

Dosage

• 500 mL IV infusion as needed
• maximum: 2000 mL in 24 hours

Pharmacokinetics

• Pentastarch molecules below 50,000 daltons molecular weight are rapidly eliminated by renal excretion
• single dose of approximately 500 mL of pentastarch results in elimination in the urine of ~ 70% of the dose within 24 hours, & approximately 80% of the dose within 1 week

More general terms

• carbohydrate; sugar
• plasma volume expander