What Is Rifampicin?

Rifampicin seems to be a serious antibiotic. As always, it should help with bacterial infections. It may be offered as a tablet or intravenously. One condition that this drug may help is tuberculosis. Patients with the active form of this condition may need a daily ten milligrams for every kilogram they weigh. They seem to be able to take up to a maximum of six hundred milligrams daily. Patients may need this treatment for six months. During this time, they may have to inform their doctor of severe, persistent, or otherwise bothersome side effects.

Clearly, this medicine should act as a tuberculosis treatment. However, patients may also need other medications for tuberculosis. This seems to include alternative antibiotics for tuberculosis. Patients seem to benefit from this medication as a leprosy treatment as well. Endocarditis treatment may appear as well. Of course, they may need to review how this drug should work first.

How It Should Work

Rifampicin, as an antibiotic, should act as an antimycobacterial medicine. It also seems to be an antitubercular agent. This medication should fight bacterial infections. It may do so by stopping bacteria's completion of RNA synthesis. This medication appears to bind to a part of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase. This part seems to be called the beta subunit. This antibiotic should stop RNA transcription. It appears that the liver absorbs it and that the body may excrete it through stool.

This medication may reach peak concentration in two to four hours. Healthy individuals appear to make it have a half-life of about three to four hours. However, liver issues may extend this. End-stage kidney disease seems to bring the half-life up to about eleven hours.

Continue reading to reveal the possible uses next.

Possible Uses

Rifampicin seems to treat tuberculosis. However, patients may need to take it alongside other medications. Some patients appear to take it as a prevention method. This drug may prevent meningitis in certain individuals as well. Specifically, it may help those with Neisseria meningitidis bacteria in their throat or nose. This medication seems to help stop patients from spreading the bacteria to others. However, it does not appear to be appropriate to treat the symptoms of meningitis. Other possible uses may include leprosy, joint infections, and bacteremia.

This medication may help treat some nervous system infections as well. Two examples appear to be brain abscesses and encephalitis. Sometimes, doctors seem to prescribe this drug 'off-label' for itching when it results from liver disease. Of course, there may be many more possible uses for this medication.

Uncover the potential side effects next.

Potential Side Effects

This medication appears to have many potential side effects. Common ones may include upset stomach, headaches, heartburn, and nausea. Some women who take it may deal with menstrual cycle changes. In addition, this drug may trigger color changes in sweat, urine, tears, and saliva. Possible colors may include brown, orange, and red. These changes seem to go away when patients stop this medication. However, this drug appears to cause permanent tooth discoloration. Other possible side effects may include pain in the abdomen, appetite loss, diarrhea, and coordination or behavior changes.

This drug may shift lab test results. It seems to trigger low red blood cell counts and elevated liver function results. Other possibilities may include elevated serum uric acid levels and higher BUN levels. This medication also appears to carry a risk of liver disease. Thus, patients may want to be aware of the possible signs of liver damage. Examples seem to include dark urine, jaundice, and persistent nausea. They may wish to report these signs to a doctor.

Get the details on possible precautions with this medication next.

Possible Precautions

Patients may need to review their medical history with their doctor before starting this medication. It does not appear to be safe for everyone. Specifically, histories of bleeding disorders, diabetes, or liver disease may make it unsafe. It also seems to trigger bleeding in pregnant women or their unborn babies if they take it in the last few weeks of pregnancy. This drug may be unsafe for breastfeeding women as well. Another possible precaution is using more than one method of birth control. The reason appears to be that it may reduce hormonal birth control's effectiveness. Additionally, this medication may stain soft contacts permanently, so patients may want to wear glasses.

Drug screening results may be inaccurate on this medication. Thus, patients may need to inform staff should they require such a test. Regular blood tests seem to be necessary to check for infection. This drug appears to be required until the infection clears. Patients should consider taking this medication without food. However, they may take it with a glass of water.

Uncover the potential medication interactions next.

Potential Medication Interactions

Rifampicin appears to have over 490 potential medication interactions. Out of these, there may be almost 200 major ones. Thus, patients seem to need a list of current medications for their doctor. They may want to have supplements on this list as well. Their doctor should be able to avoid potential medication interactions. However, pharmacists seem to help with double-checking for possible interactions. Ultimately, doctors may recommend different doses or medication changes.

Rifampicin may trigger interactions with prescriptions for high cholesterol, arthritis, and high blood pressure. It also appears to interact with medication for depression and heart problems. In these cases, patients may be at a higher risk of liver damage. This risk seems to be high in pain medication too, such as ibuprofen. It appears that rifampicin may speed up the body's removal of some medicines. Examples may include anti-malaria drugs, some blood thinners, and calcium channel blockers. Patients should consider informing their doctor when they take these medications.