Rifapentine Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jan 22, 2025.

Applies to rifapentine: oral tablet.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your or your child's progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have pain or tenderness in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, or yellow eyes or skin. These could be symptoms of a serious liver problem.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis and angioedema, which can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. Tell your doctor right away if you or your child have a rash, itching, hoarseness, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or large, hive-like swelling on face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or genitals after using this medicine.

Serious skin reactions can occur with this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, red skin lesions, severe acne or a skin rash, sores or ulcers on the skin, or fever or chills after using this medicine.

Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have a fever, chills, cough, sore throat, swollen, painful, or tender lymph glands in the neck, armpit, or groin, or yellow skin or eyes while using this medicine. These could be symptoms of a serious condition called drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS).

Liver problems may be more likely to occur if you drink alcoholic beverages regularly while you are using this medicine. Also, the regular use of alcohol may keep this medicine from working properly. You should not drink alcoholic beverages while you are using this medicine.

Rifapentine will cause the urine, stools, saliva, sputum, sweat, and tears to turn reddish-orange to reddish-brown. This is to be expected while you are using this medicine. This effect may also cause soft contact lenses and dentures to become permanently discolored. Standard cleaning solutions may not take out all the discoloration. It is best not to wear soft contact lenses or dentures while using this medicine. Hard contact lenses are not discolored by rifapentine. If you have any questions about this, check with your doctor.

This medicine may cause diarrhea, and in some cases it can be severe. It may occur 2 months or more after you stop using this medicine. Do not take any medicine to treat diarrhea without first checking with your doctor. If you have any questions or if mild diarrhea continues or gets worse, check with your doctor.

Rifapentine can lower the number of white blood cells in your blood temporarily, increasing the chance of getting infection. It can also lower the number of platelets, which are necessary for proper blood clotting. These problems may result in a greater chance of getting certain infections, slow healing, and bleeding of the gums. Be careful when using a regular toothbrush, dental floss, or a toothpick. Dental work should be delayed until your blood counts have returned to normal. Check with your medical doctor or dentist if you have any questions about proper oral hygiene (mouth care) during treatment.

Before you have any medical tests, tell the doctor in charge that you are using this medicine. The results of some tests may be affected by this medicine.

Birth control pills may not work properly if you take them while you are using rifapentine. Use a non-hormonal form of birth control (eg, condoms, spermicide) while you are using rifapentine. If you have any questions about this, check with your doctor.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Serious side effects of rifapentine

Along with its needed effects, rifapentine 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 while taking rifapentine:

Other side effects of rifapentine

Some side effects of rifapentine 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:

For healthcare professionals

Applies to rifapentine: oral tablet.

General adverse events

The most common side effects with the regimen for active pulmonary tuberculosis included anemia, lymphopenia, hemoptysis, neutropenia, cough, thrombocytosis, increased sweating, increased ALT, increased AST, back pain, rash, anorexia, arthralgia, increased blood urea, and headache. The most common side effect with the regimen for latent tuberculosis infection was hypersensitivity reaction.^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Frequency not reported: Tachycardia, palpitation, orthostatic hypotension, pericarditis, hematoma, thrombosis, flushing, hypotension^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Increased sweating/hyperhidrosis, rash, pruritus/itching, maculopapular rash
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Skin reaction
• Frequency not reported: Purpura, urticaria, skin discoloration, angioedema
• Postmarketing reports: Severe cutaneous adverse reactions (e.g., Stevens-Johnson syndrome, drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms [DRESS] syndrome)^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Common (1% to 10%): Nausea, dyspepsia, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain
• Frequency not reported: Clostridioides difficile-associated diarrhea, gastritis, esophagitis, pancreatitis, salivary gland enlargement, constipation, dry mouth, esophageal irritation^[Ref]

Genitourinary

• Frequency not reported: Hematuria, vaginitis, vaginal hemorrhage, leukorrhea, vulvovaginal candidiasis, vulvovaginal pruritus^[Ref]

Hematologic

• Very common (10% or more): Anemia (up to 11.4%), lymphopenia (up to 10.5%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Neutropenia, thrombocytosis, leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, lymphadenopathy
• Frequency not reported: Leukopenia, lymphocytosis^[Ref]

Hepatic

• Common (1% to 10%): Increased ALT, increased AST, hepatotoxicity
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hepatitis
• Frequency not reported: Bilirubinemia, hepatomegaly, jaundice^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

• Common (1% to 10%): Hypersensitivity/hypersensitivity reaction (including hypotension, urticaria, angioedema, acute bronchospasm, conjunctivitis; OR weakness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, headache, fever, aches, sweats, dizziness, shortness of breath, flushing, chills)
• Frequency not reported: Anaphylaxis^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Common (1% to 10%): Anorexia
• Frequency not reported: Hyperglycemia, hyperuricemia, gout, hyperkalemia, decreased appetite, hyperlipidemia^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Common (1% to 10%): Back pain, arthralgia
• Frequency not reported: Arthritis, myalgia/muscle pain, myositis, rhabdomyolysis^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Common (1% to 10%): Headache, dizziness
• Frequency not reported: Somnolence, convulsion, paresthesia, peripheral neuropathy, syncope^[Ref]

Ocular

• Common (1% to 10%): Conjunctivitis^[Ref]

Other

• Common (1% to 10%): Fever/pyrexia
• Frequency not reported: Increased alkaline phosphatase, asthenia, facial edema, fungal infection, abortion, death, fatigue, chest pain, chills, feeling jittery, viral infection, aches, body fluid discoloration, weakness, influenza-like syndrome

Psychiatric

• Frequency not reported: Anxiety, confusion, depression, disorientation, suicidal ideation^[Ref]

Renal

• Common (1% to 10%): Increased blood urea
• Frequency not reported: Azotemia^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Common (1% to 10%): Hemoptysis, coughing/cough
• Frequency not reported: Dysphonia, dyspnea/shortness of breath, pneumonitis, pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, bronchospasm, laryngeal edema, laryngitis, pharyngitis, oropharyngeal pain, bronchial hyperactivity, epistaxis, acute bronchospasm^[Ref]

See also:

Further information

Rifapentine side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.

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