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Drugs Used to Treat Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious disease caused by the mycobacterium tuberculosis. It affects 1.8 million people worldwide annually. In America the good news is this disease is on the decline. From 1993 to 2000 the TB rate was 7.3 percent per year; from 2000 to 2007 it fell to an annual rate of 3.8 percent. To prevent TB we must stop the spread of the disease and do early treatment before it gets to the active stage.

  1. Definition

    • Tuberculosis is a respiratory disease transmitted through inhalation from person to person. It is characterized with signs of a cough, fever and night sweats, along with weight loss and shortness of breath. On an x-ray the lungs will show signs of inflammation and nodules. TB occurs commonly in the lungs but can be in other parts of the body. Tuberculosis can become life threatening if proper treatment protocol is not administered and followed.

    Drugs Used to Treat TB

    • The standard protocol and treatment for TB is a group of antibiotic drugs which includes Isoniazid (Nydrazid), Rafampin (Rifadin), Pyrazinamide, Ethambutol (Myamabutol) or Streptomycin. The specific treatment will be based on the stage and degree of activity that the disease is in. It must be determined whether it is in the latent stage and requires preventative measures or whether it is active or drug resistant or whether it is TB with HIV/AIDS.

    Isoniazid

    • Isoniazid is a powerful antibiotic considered most effective for the treatment of TB. This drug is prescribed along with pyridoxine or B6, a vitamin that helps in preventing peripheral neuropathy which is one of the side effects of Isoniazid causing tingling and numbness of the hands and/or feet. Isoniazid can also cause liver problems.

    Rifampin

    • Rifampin is an effective antibiotic treatment to manage TB. This drug has a variety of side effects including rash, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea along with a decrease in white blood cells and platelets. Rifampin also causes liver problems and red to orange discolored body fluids, such as urine. Rifampin also interacts with several of the medications used to treat HIV. In that case the physician will make adjustments to provide effective treatment.

    Other Medications

    • Pyrazinamide exhibits side effects that are the same as Rifampin. The dosage is prescribed based on the patient's body weight. Ethambutol or streptomycin is a drug that can cause vision and hearing problems. Dosage of the drugs is also dependent on the body weight of the patient.

    Warning

    • The treatment of TB is long term and may take up to six months or more. After a few weeks of treatment you are no longer contagious and you will feel better. Follow the treatment regime prescribed by your physician to avoid a relapse of the condition or to cause the bacteria to become drug resistant which could be life threatening. Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) is a program to help patients to accomplish their treatment regime.

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