Rifadin IV

Generic Name: rifampin
Other Brand Names: Rifadin, Rimactane, rifampin

What is rifampin?

Rifampin is an antibiotic. Rifampin prevents bacteria from spreading in your body.

Rifampin is used to treat or prevent tuberculosis (TB).

Rifampin may also be used to eliminate a bacteria from your nose and throat that may cause meningitis or other infections, even if you do not have an infection. Rifampin prevents you from spreading this bacteria to other people, but the medication will not treat an infection caused by the bacteria.

Rifampin may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Uses Side Effects Precautions Interactions Overdose
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking rifampin?

Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you:

  • have ever had an allergic reaction to rifampin,

  • have liver disease, or

  • have porphyria.

You may not be able to use rifampin, or you may require a lower dose or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.

Rifampin is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether rifampin will harm an unborn baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are pregnant.

Rifampin passes into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take rifampin?

Use rifampin exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these instructions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.

Take the rifampin capsule on an empty stomach 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals. Swallow the capsule with a full glass (8 ounces) of water.

Use the rifampin for as many days as it was prescribed for you, even if you begin to feel better. Your symptoms may start to improve before the infection is completely treated. Rifampin will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.

Injectable rifampin should only be administered under the supervision of a qualified healthcare provider. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have questions regarding injectable rifampin.

Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose of rifampin?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next regularly scheduled dose, skip the missed dose and take the next one as directed. Do not take extra medicine to make up a missed dose.

Where can I get more information about rifampin?
Your pharmacist has information about rifampin written for health professionals that you may read.
What are the possible side effects of rifampin?

If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking rifampin and seek medical attention or contact your doctor immediately:

  • an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives);

  • fever, chills, or a sore throat;

  • pain or swelling of the joints;

  • excessive tiredness or weakness;

  • a headache;

  • nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of appetite;

  • unusual bruising or bleeding;

  • little or no urine;

  • yellow skin or whites of the eyes; or

  • a rash or itching.

Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue using rifampin and talk to your doctor if you experience:

  • red-orange coloration of tears, sweat, saliva, urine, or feces; or

  • mild tiredness or weakness.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

What is the most important information I should know about rifampin?

Use the rifampin for as many days as it was prescribed for you, even if you begin to feel better. Your symptoms may start to improve before the infection is completely treated. Rifampin will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.

Call your doctor immediately if you experience a fever, chills, sore throat, joint pain or swelling, excessive tiredness or weakness, unusual bleeding or bruising, skin rash or itching, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, or yellowing of the skin or the whites of your eyes.

Take the rifampin capsule on an empty stomach 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal.

Rifampin may decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills. Talk to your doctor about using another form of birth control during treatment.

Injectable rifampin should be administered only under the supervision of a qualified healthcare provider. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have questions regarding injectable rifampin.

What should I avoid while taking rifampin?

Do not wear contact lenses while taking rifampin. This medicine may turn your tears, sweat, saliva, urine, feces, and contact lenses a red-orange color. This effect may permanently stain soft contact lenses.

Rifampin may decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills. Talk to your doctor about using another form of birth control during treatment with rifampin.

What other drugs will affect rifampin?

Before taking rifampin, tell your doctor if you are also using any of the following drugs:

  • acetaminophen (Tylenol, others);

  • blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin);

  • barbiturates such as phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton), amobarbital (Amytal), secobarbital (Seconal), and butabarbital (Butisol);

  • benzodiazepines such as alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), and temazepam (Restoril);

  • beta-blockers such as atenolol (Tenormin), propranolol (Inderal), and metoprolol (Lopressor);

  • clofibrate (Atromid-S);

  • corticosteroids such as prednisone (Deltasone, Orasone, Meticorten), prednisolone (Delta Cortef, Prelone, others), methylprednisolone (Medrol), and betamethasone (Celestone);

  • estrogens such as Premarin, Ogen, Estrace, Menest, Estratab, Ortho-Est, and others;

  • heart medicines such as digoxin (Lanoxin), disopyramide (Norpace), quinidine (Quinora, Quinidex, Cardioquin, others), mexiletine (Mexitil), tocainide (Tonocard), verapamil (Calan, Verelan, Isoptin), and enalapril (Vasotec);

  • HIV medicines such as delavirdine (Rescriptor), saquinavir (Invirase, Fortovase), ritonavir (Norvir), nelfinavir (Viracept), and others;

  • ketoconazole (Nizoral), itraconazole (Sporanox), and fluconazole (Diflucan);

  • methadone (Dolophine);

  • oral birth control pills such as Triphasil, Ortho-Novum, Ortho-Cyclen, Ortho-Tri-Cyclen, Ovral, Lo/Ovral, Desogen, Nordette, Levora, Levlen, Tri-Levlen, Nelova, Norinyl, Brevicon, Ovcon, Loestrin, Demulen, and others;

  • phenytoin (Dilantin), ethotoin (Peganone), and mephenytoin (Mesantoin);

  • sulfa medicines such as sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra, Gantanol, Azo-Gantanol), and sulfisoxazole (Gantrisin, Azo-Gantrisin);

  • sulfonylureas such as glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (Micronase, Diabeta, Glynase), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), tolbutamide (Orinase), and tolazamide (Tolinase);

  • cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral);

  • theophylline (Theolair, Theo-Dur, Theochron, Theo-Bid, others).

There may be other drugs that can interact with rifampin. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines including vitamins, minerals, and herbal products.

What happens if I have an overdose of rifampin?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think have used too much of this medicine.

Symptoms of a rifampin overdose include nausea, vomiting, tiredness, stomach pain, itching, headache, weakness or fainting, fast or irregular heartbeat, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

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Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Content provided by Multum - Last Updated 2/11/2008