MRCP UK EXAMINATIONS

Detailed explanation-1: -Rifampin, isoniazid, and pyrazinamide combination is used to treat tuberculosis (TB) infection. It may be taken alone or with one or more other medicines for TB. Rifampin belongs to the class of medicines called antibiotics and works to kill or prevent the growth of bacteria.

Detailed explanation-2: -Treatment is given in two phases: Continuation phase consists of 16 weeks (112 doses) of isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol in daily dosages. Only pyrazinamide will be stopped in the continuation phase. The CP needs to be extended upto 24 weeks in certain forms of TB like CNS TB, Skeletal TB.

Detailed explanation-3: -Of the approved drugs, isoniazid (INH), rifampin (RIF), ethambutol (EMB), and pyrazinamide (PZA) are considered first-line anti-TB drugs and form the core of standard treatment regimens (Figure 6.4) (Table 6.2).

Detailed explanation-4: -First-line agents for treatment of TB disease consist of isoniazid, a rifamycin (rifampin or [less frequently] either rifapentine or rifabutin), pyrazinamide, and ethambutol; in addition, moxifloxacin is a first-line agent when administered in combination with isoniazid, rifapentine, and pyrazinamide [6].

Detailed explanation-5: -The most common treatment for active TB is isoniazid INH in combination with three other drugs-rifampin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol. You may begin to feel better only a few weeks after starting to take the drugs but treating TB takes much longer than other bacterial infections.