Ethambutol : Patient Counseling and Safety Advice

What is Ethambutol ?

Ethambutol~is a type of drug of the antibacterial group ( antituberculosis) that is used to treat infections caused by bacteria.

What health problems is Ethambutol medicine used to treat ?

* To treat pulmonary TB And TB around other organs caused by myobacterium tuberculosis.

* To treat and prevent other infections caused by myobacterium avium.

* Combined with other TB drugs, it helps to prevent drug resistance and treat it.

What should I know before using Ethambutol drugs for treatment ?

People with allergies to Ethambutol and eye health problems should not use this medicine for treatment.

Also, people with other health problems such as liver disease, kidney disease, eye problems, eye problems due to diabetes, fractures, etc. should not start ethambutol for treatment without informing their health professional.

Ethambutol can cause severe eye problems so if you have problems with one or both of your eyes has......

* Persistent blurred vision.

* Loss of vision in one eye for 4 hours or more.

* Eye inability to distinguish colors.

* If we experience pain during eye movements, etc., we should stop taking this medicine for treatment and inform our health care provider.

Ethambutol medicine should be taken one hour before or two hours after antacids medicine without taking it at the same time as antacids medicine.

A woman who is pregnant or planning to become pregnant should not use Ethambutol medicine for treatment unless she consults a health professional, although there is no known risk of harm to her baby.

If a breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed mother is taking this medicine for treatment and breastfeeding her baby, she should not use this medicine as it may harm her baby by passing it through the mother's breast.

Ethambutol should not be given to children under 13 years of age.

Store at room temperature away from hot and humid places.

How should I use Ethambutol medicine for treatment ?

Listen and take it carefully as prescribed by your health care providers.

Take Ethambutol only as prescribed by your doctor without increasing or decreasing the dose.

If you have been taking any medicines for pneumonia in the past, the dose may change and you should tell your health care provider.

Ethambutol tablets can be taken orally with food or without food.

TB disease adult patients who have not been taking any TB medicines before can use Ethambutol medicine tablets depending on body weight at an oral dose of 15mg/kg with other TB medicines only once a day for a period of two months.

TB disease adults patient who are already taking TB medicines, Ethambutol tablets can be used at a weight-based oral dose of 25mg/kg with other anti-TB drugs only once a day for a period of two months.

Once you start taking Ethambutol for treatment, you should not stop taking it until you have completed the dosage period and you see improvement in the symptoms of the infection as the infection can get worse with the drug.

What are the side effects of Ethambutol medicine?

* Confuse.

* Difficulty breathing.

* Headache.

* Dizziness .

* Vomiting.

* Nausea.

* Reduced appetite.

* Severe cough and increased body temperature.

* Skin itching.

* Pain in the stomach.

* Numbness in the hands or feet.

* False perceptions of unrealistic feelings and appearances.

* Chest pain and shortness of breath.

* Bleeding lips or nosebleeds.

* No or little urination.

* Joint pain.

* Indigestion.

* Kidney problems such as loss of appetite, upper abdominal pain, vomiting/Nausea, black urine, yellowing of skin or eyes and so on.

Therefore, when you experience the above symptoms, you should stop taking the medicine immediately and go to the near health facility immediately and inform theirs health care providers.

Be healthy.