Ethambutol patient teaching

 Ethambutol Patient Teaching
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Abstract
Despite the availability of drugs to counter tuberculosis (TB) and related ailments, the disease continues to cause high death rates. The drug on the leading position towards counteracting the bacterium infection leading to TB, Ethambutol hydrochloride has faced various debates and scholarly research because of the associated effects on the eyes of the patients on prescription with impact, which could lead to permanent loss of vision. Because of the adverse side effects, a doctor’s recommendation is advised and thorough diagnosis to ensure that the patient is fit to use the drug. Information on existing visual problems, allergic reaction, and previous usage of the drug is necessary before receiving medication. The following essay provides guidelines to patients on the recommendations of Ethambutol use and the expected user effects. Issues addresses also include the adverse effects which when experienced should require immediate medical attention. The research shows that most of the misgivings of the drug occur because of dosage and lack of proper diagnosis of underlying problems.
Ethambutol is a drug administered to patients ailing from tuberculosis, which is caused by a Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium and is prescribed in line with another drug for the same purpose. While the success in combating the preference of Tuberculosis has taken significant steps in recent years, the efficiency and improvement towards eradication face challenges because of the human immunodeficiency virus prevalence, poverty levels, and the evolvement of TB forms that resist the available medication.

Ethambutol remains the commonly used drug for patients with TB despite the associated toxicity leading to optic neuropathy; a condition linked to the destruction of the eye’s optic nerves and can lead to loss of vision. It is therefore advisable for patients to seek the intervention of a physician in case they have an existing eye condition before beginning the treatment.
Drug usage is restricted to children below the age of 13 and medical advice necessary while administered to pregnant women. Side effects related to usage include peripheral neuritis, episodes of confusion, hallucination, blurred vision, skin rash, and headaches. Patients are advised that during the dosage period they should only use antacids, which do not contain aluminum hydroxide when the need arises, (Singh, Prasad, Balasubramanian, Gupta & Gupta, 2015).
Patients should undertake regular eye examinations and report changes in their visual capabilities. Relevant information before beginning medication would be confirming to the doctor whether a patient had previously used the drug to determine the dosage required.
Only the prescribed dosage is necessary, and a patient should see it to the end since skipping doses is associated with an increased risk of unrelated infection. Medical attention is required when symptoms including difficulty in breathing, severe skin rashes, and any general feeling related to illness.

Reference
Singh, A., Prasad, R., Balasubramanian, V., Gupta, N., & Gupta, P. (2015). Prevalence of adverse drug reaction with first-line drugs among patients treated for pulmonary tuberculosis. Clinical Epidemiology And Global Health, 3, S80-S90. doi: 10.1016/j.cegh.2015.10.005