Urinary Tract Infection Practice Test | IDStewardship Training

Question #20 explained:

Which of the following is false regarding methenamine?

A. Methenamine can be used for treatment of UTI CORRECT

- - This is false. Methenamine is not indicated for treatment of UTI, only to suppress recurrent UTI.

B. Methenamine can be used for suppression of UTI

C. Methenamine requires acidic urine to work

- - This is true. A urine pH of below 6.5 is a typical goal. This causes the methenamine to convert to formaldehyde, which is what provides the antibacterial action for this drug.

D. Methenamine requires the patient to retain urine in order to be effective

- - This is true. If the patient does not retain urine (i.e., is chronically catheterized) then the formaldehyde will not be in the bladder long enough for it to exert it’s antibacterial effects. Patients who do not retain urine are poor candidates for methenamine.