Rifabutin (Systemic)

Brand Names : Mycobutin

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For rifabutin, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to rifabutin or rifampin. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Rifabutin has not been studied in pregnant women. However, studies in animals have shown that rifabutin causes birth defects. Before you take this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether rifabutin passes into the breast milk. However, if your baby does not have the AIDS virus, there is a chance that you could pass the virus to your baby by breast-feeding. Talk to your doctor first if you are thinking about breast-feeding your baby.

Children - Studies on this medicine have only been done in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of rifabutin in children with use in other age groups. However, studies are being done to determine the best dose for children.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information comparing use of rifabutin in the elderly with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking rifabutin, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Amprenavir (e.g. Agenerase) or
• Delavirdine (e.g., Rescriptor) or
• Efavirenz (e.g., Sustiva) or
• Indinavir (e.g., Crixivan) or
• Nelfinavir (e.g., Viracept) or
• Nevirapine (e.g., Viramune) or
• Ritonavir (e.g., Norvir) or
• Saquinavir (e.g., Fortovase, Invirase) or
• Zidovudine (e.g., AZT, Retrovir) - Use of rifabutin with these medicines may lower the amount of these medicines in the blood

• Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) containing estrogen - Use of rifabutin with these birth control pills may increase the chance of pregnancy occurring

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of rifabutin. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems especially:

• Kidney disease, mild to severe