Rifabutin Information
Pronunciation
rif a BYOO tin
What is this drug used for?
• It is used to prevent an infection in people with HIV.
• It may be given to you for other reasons. Talk with the doctor.
Frequently reported side effects of this drug
• Diarrhea
• Change in color of body fluids to brown/orange
Other side effects of this drug: Talk with your doctor right away if you have any of these signs of:
• Chest pain
• Flu-like symptoms
• Bruising
• Bleeding
• Severe loss of strength and energy
• Shortness of breath
• Vision changes
• Eye pain
• Severe eye irritation
• Dizziness
• Passing out
• Severe nausea
• Severe vomiting
• Cough
• Abnormal heartbeat
• Infection
• Clostridium difficile (C. diff)-associated diarrhea like abdominal pain or cramps, severe diarrhea or watery stools, or bloody stools
• Signs of a significant reaction like wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; seizures; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Medication Safety Issues
Sound-alike/look-alike issues:
Rifabutin may be confused with rifAMPin, rifapentine
Storage and Stability
Store at 25°C (77°F); excursions permitted to 15°C to 30°C (59°F to 86°F).
Adverse Reactions
Dermatologic: Skin rash
Genitourinary: Discoloration of urine
Hematologic & oncologic: Leukopenia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia
Gastrointestinal: Abdominal pain, dysgeusia, dyspepsia, eructation, flatulence, nausea, vomiting
Neuromuscular & skeletal: Myalgia
Miscellaneous: Fever
Rare but important or life-threatening: Aphasia, arthralgia, chest pain, confusion, dyspnea, flu-like syndrome, hepatitis, hemolysis, myositis, parasthesia, seizures, skin discoloration, T-wave abnormalities, uveitis
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