Priftin, also known by its generic name rifapentine, is a rifamycin antibiotic that's used to treat tuberculosis (TB) in adults and children. For active TB, it must be taken with other TB antibiotics, such as isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol. And for latent TB, Priftin (rifapentine) is taken with isoniazid. Priftin (rifapentine) is a tablet that's taken by mouth with food. It's taken once or twice per week, depending on whether you have active or latent TB and what phase of treatment you're in. Side effects include low blood cell counts, coughing, and headache.
As an add-on to other tuberculosis (TB) antibiotics for:
Active TB infection in people ages 12 years and older
Latent TB infection in people ages 2 years and older who are high risk for the infection to become active again
Priftin (rifapentine) is a rifamycin antibiotic. It works by blocking a protein in TB-causing bacteria that they need to use to grow and spread. This helps fight the TB infection.
Source:Â DailyMed
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
More common
Black, tarry stools
chills
coughing up blood
hoarseness
lower back or side pain
painful or difficult urination
pale skin
skin rash
trouble breathing with exertion
ulcers, sores, or white spots in the mouth
unusual bleeding or bruising
unusual tiredness or weakness
Less common
Bleeding gums
blood in the urine or stools
burning, dry, or itching eyes
excessive tearing of the eye
fast heartbeat
general feeling of illness
headache
irritation
joint pain, stiffness, or swelling
loss of appetite
pinpoint red spots on the skin
redness of the skin
swelling of the eyelids, face, lips, hands, or feet
swollen, painful, or tender lymph glands in the neck, armpit, or groin
tightness in the chest
trouble breathing or swallowing
Rare
blue or pale skin
burning feeling in the chest or stomach
burning, tingling, numbness, or pain in the hands, arms, feet, or legs
chest pain, possibly moving to the left arm, neck, or shoulder
cloudy or dark urine
cold sweat
collection of blood under the skin
confusion
deep, dark purple bruise
dizziness, fainting, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
indigestion
itching in the genital or other skin areas
lack or loss of strength
light-colored stools
noisy breathing
pain in the lower back or side
pain or burning in the throat
pains in the stomach, side, or abdomen, possibly radiating to the back
right upper stomach pain and fullness
scaling of the skin
seizures
stabbing pain
stomach upset
tenderness, pain, swelling, warmth, skin discoloration, and prominent superficial veins over the affected area
thick, white vaginal discharge with mild or no odor
thickening of bronchial secretions
thirst
vaginal bleeding
voice changes
vomiting
yellow skin or eyes
Incidence not known
Blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
red skin lesions, often with a purple center
sensitivity of the skin to the sun
thinning of the skin
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common
Increased sweating
Less common
Belching
difficulty in moving
Rare
Discoloration of the skin
drowsiness
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Taken once or twice a week
Can treat children as young as 2 years old with latent TB
No dosage adjustments necessary if you have liver or kidney problems
Can crush the tablets and then add to semi-solid food if you have trouble swallowing
Must take with other TB antibiotics
Must take each dose in front of a healthcare professional (HCP)
Can change the color of body fluids and stain contact lenses and dentures
No lower-cost generic available; brand-name medication only
Follow your prescriber's instructions to take Priftin (rifapentine) once or twice per week. This depends on whether you have active or latent TB and what phase of treatment you're in. Mark the dates and times of when you need to take your doses in your calendar. You can also use a medication reminder app. Missing doses can make your infection come back and become harder to treat.
Take Priftin (rifapentine) with food. This helps the medication get absorbed into your body. Taking the medication with food can also help lessen some side effects like stomach upset, nausea, and vomiting.
If you or your child can't swallow the Priftin (rifapentine) tablets whole, you can crush them and add to a small amount of soft food. After you mix the medication with food, eat all of the mixture right away.
Priftin (rifapentine) can cause some of your body tissue or fluids turn a red-orange color, but it's not harmful. This can include your skin, teeth, tongue, saliva, tears, sweat, urine, and stool. It can also stain any dentures or soft contact lenses, which can be permanent.
It's best to avoid alcohol while you're taking Priftin (rifapentine). Drinking alcohol with Priftin (rifapentine) raises your risk for liver damage. Drinking a lot of alcohol can also weaken your immune system, which can make it harder for you to recover from your infection.
Share a list of all the medications you're taking, including over-the-counter medications and dietary supplements, with your care team so they can review it. Don't start any new medications while you're taking Priftin (rifapentine) without letting your care team know first. Certain drug interactions with Priftin (rifapentine) can make your medications work less well or put you at risk for side effects.
Priftin (rifapentine) can make hormonal birth control work less well, which can put you at risk for an unintended pregnancy. Ask your care team about switching to a non-hormonal birth control option (e.g., condoms, Paragard (copper IUD)).
Priftin (rifapentine) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Risk factors: Drinking alcohol | Taking other medications that cause liver injury | Liver problems
Priftin (rifapentine) can raise the level of liver enzymes in your blood, which can be a sign of liver injury. Avoid alcohol and other medications that might harm your liver. Let your prescriber know if you have a history of liver problems; you might need to get regular blood tests done during treatment to check that your liver health doesn't worsen. Get medical help right away if you have symptoms of liver damage, like severe nausea, vomiting, right-sided stomach pain, fatigue, low or no appetite, or yellowing of the skin or eyes.
Severe allergic reactions to Priftin (rifapentine) are possible, including life-threatening reactions like facial swelling and anaphylaxis (e.g., closing of the throat). Stop taking this medication and get medical attention right away if you have rash, swelling in your face or lips, or trouble breathing.
Some people reported having serious and life-threatening skin reactions while they took Priftin (rifapentine). These skin reactions can include Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome. Stop taking Priftin (rifapentine) and get medical attention right away if you notice changes in your skin, like rash, painful blisters, skin reddening, or skin peeling, or mouth sores. Also get medical help as soon as possible if you experience sore throat, fever, or fatigue; these can be other symptoms related to the skin reaction.
It's normal for Priftin (rifapentine) to cause your bodily fluids (such as urine, sweat, spit, or tears) and tissue (such as skin, tongue, or teeth) to turn a red-orange color. This color change is harmless to the body, though it might permanently stain any contact lenses or dentures that you wear.
Treatment with any antibiotic, including Priftin (rifapentine), can lead to an infection caused by the bacteria called Clostridioides difficile (C. diff). This infection can happen because antibiotics change the normal bacteria in your stomach and intestines. As a result, C. diff can overgrow in the gut and cause potentially life-threatening diarrhea.
C. diff-related diarrhea is considered a medical emergency. It can cause fast heart rate, fever, nausea, foul-smelling diarrhea, and frequent bowel movements (even up to 15 times per day). Get medical attention right away if you have any of these symptoms. You'll get tested for C. diff-related diarrhea and get appropriate treatment, if needed.
Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
---|---|---|---|
150mg | 24 tablets | $127.63 | $5.32 |
Active TB in people age 12 years and older
Initial phase: The typical dose is 600 mg (4 tablets) by mouth with food twice a week (separated by at least 3 days) for 2 months. After the first 2 months of treatment, you'll move onto the continuation phase of treatment.
Continuation phase: The typical dose is 600 mg (4 tablets) by mouth with food once a week for 4 months.
Take Priftin (rifapentine) together with other TB antibiotics (e.g., isoniazid, pyrazinamide, ethambutol), as instructed by your prescriber.
Latent TB in people age 2 years and older
Take Priftin (rifapentine) by mouth with food once per week for 12 weeks (3 months). The dose depends on your weight.
Weight of 22 lbs to 30 lbs: The typical dose is 300 mg (2 tablets).
Weight of 31 lbs to 55 lbs: The typical dose is 450 mg (3 tablets).
Weight of 56 lbs to 70 lbs: The typical dose is 600 mg (4 tablets).
Weight of 71 lbs to 110 lbs: The typical dose is 750 mg (5 tablets).
Weight greater than 110 lbs: The typical dose is 900 mg (6 tablets).
Take Priftin (rifapentine) with isoniazid, as instructed by your prescriber.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
Allergy to Priftin (rifapentine), rifampin (Rifadin), rifaximin (Xifaxan), or rifabutin (Mycobutin)
As an add-on to other tuberculosis (TB) antibiotics for:
Active TB infection in people ages 12 years and older
Latent TB infection in people ages 2 years and older who are high risk for the infection to become active again
Tuberculosis (TB)
Meningococcal carriers (when there's bacteria living in the nose and/or throat, but not causing infection)
Prevention of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) disease in people with severe HIV infection
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Treatment regimens for latent TB infection.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). About active tuberculosis disease.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). About meningococcal disease.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Clinical overview of latent tuberculosis infection.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Tuberculosis risk factors.
Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®). (2022). Rifapentine. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC. (2021). Priftin- rifapentine tablet, film coated [package insert]. DailyMed.
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