TB Meds Practice Questions PDF

**Question 1**\ A patient diagnosed with tuberculosis is prescribed isoniazid (INH). The nurse recognizes that pyridoxine (vitamin B6) is often co-prescribed with INH to prevent which side effect? A. Hepatitis\ B. Peripheral neuropathy\ C. Optic neuritis\ D. Skin rash **Correct Answer:** B. Periph...

**Question 1**\ A patient diagnosed with tuberculosis is prescribed isoniazid (INH). The nurse recognizes that pyridoxine (vitamin B6) is often co-prescribed with INH to prevent which side effect? A. Hepatitis\ B. Peripheral neuropathy\ C. Optic neuritis\ D. Skin rash **Correct Answer:** B. Peripheral neuropathy\ **Rationale:** Isoniazid can cause peripheral neuropathy due to vitamin B6 deficiency. Supplementing with pyridoxine helps to prevent this adverse effect. While hepatitis and skin rash are possible side effects, they are not prevented by vitamin B6. Optic neuritis is not associated with INH​. **Question 2**\ The nurse is educating a patient on rifampin therapy for tuberculosis. Which statement indicates the patient needs further teaching? A. \"I should expect red-orange discoloration of my urine and tears.\"\ B. \"I can wear my contact lenses as usual while taking this medication.\"\ C. \"I need to take this medication exactly as prescribed to prevent resistance.\"\ D. \"I should report any unusual symptoms to my healthcare provider.\" **Correct Answer:** B. \"I can wear my contact lenses as usual while taking this medication.\"\ **Rationale:** Rifampin can cause red-orange discoloration of body fluids, which may permanently stain contact lenses. The patient should use glasses instead. The other statements correctly describe aspects of rifampin therapy​. **Question 3**\ A patient on ethambutol therapy reports difficulty distinguishing between red and green colors. What is the nurse\'s best action? A. Reassure the patient that this is a normal side effect.\ B. Instruct the patient to stop the medication immediately.\ C. Notify the healthcare provider for further evaluation.\ D. Advise the patient to increase dietary intake of vitamin B6. **Correct Answer:** C. Notify the healthcare provider for further evaluation.\ **Rationale:** Ethambutol can cause optic neuritis, which may present as difficulty distinguishing colors or decreased visual acuity. The healthcare provider should be notified to evaluate whether the medication should be continued or adjusted​. **Question 4**\ A nurse is administering pyrazinamide to a patient with active tuberculosis. The nurse monitors for which primary adverse effect? A. Hepatotoxicity\ B. Peripheral neuropathy\ C. Red-orange discoloration of body fluids\ D. Optic neuritis **Correct Answer:** A. Hepatotoxicity\ **Rationale:** Pyrazinamide is associated with dose-related hepatotoxicity. Monitoring liver function is essential during treatment. Peripheral neuropathy is more commonly associated with isoniazid, while red-orange discoloration occurs with rifampin. Optic neuritis is related to ethambutol​. **Question 5**\ A patient is prescribed Rifater (a combination of rifampin, isoniazid, and pyrazinamide) for tuberculosis. What is the purpose of using a combination therapy? A. To minimize the duration of therapy\ B. To enhance patient compliance\ C. To prevent the development of drug resistance\ D. To reduce the risk of side effects **Correct Answer:** C. To prevent the development of drug resistance\ **Rationale:** Combination therapy for tuberculosis, such as Rifater, helps prevent the development of drug resistance, which is a significant concern in tuberculosis treatment. While it may also improve compliance and reduce therapy duration, these are secondary benefits **Question 6**\ A patient receiving isoniazid (INH) reports tingling and numbness in their hands and feet. What is the nurse\'s priority intervention? A. Assess the patient\'s liver function tests.\ B. Administer pyridoxine (vitamin B6) as prescribed.\ C. Discontinue the medication immediately.\ D. Encourage the patient to increase fluid intake. **Correct Answer:** B. Administer pyridoxine (vitamin B6) as prescribed.\ **Rationale:** Peripheral neuropathy caused by isoniazid is related to vitamin B6 deficiency. Administering pyridoxine can alleviate these symptoms. While liver function tests are important during INH therapy, this intervention addresses the patient's immediate complaint​. **Question 7**\ The nurse is teaching a patient about the adverse effects of ethambutol. Which statement by the patient demonstrates correct understanding? A. \"I should report any changes in my vision to my healthcare provider.\"\ B. \"This medication may cause red-orange discoloration of my tears and urine.\"\ C. \"I need to avoid foods high in tyramine while taking this medication.\"\ D. \"I should expect some tingling in my fingers and toes as a side effect.\" **Correct Answer:** A. \"I should report any changes in my vision to my healthcare provider.\"\ **Rationale:** Ethambutol can cause optic neuritis, which may lead to changes in vision, including decreased acuity and difficulty distinguishing red and green. The patient should promptly report these symptoms. Red-orange discoloration is associated with rifampin, and tingling is more common with isoniazid. Ethambutol is not associated with tyramine sensitivity​. **Question 8**\ A patient taking rifampin for tuberculosis asks why the medication must be taken as part of a combination regimen. What is the nurse\'s best response? A. \"Rifampin is not effective when used alone.\"\ B. \"Combination therapy helps prevent the development of drug resistance.\"\ C. \"Taking multiple medications will cure tuberculosis faster.\"\ D. \"This approach reduces the risk of liver damage.\" **Correct Answer:** B. \"Combination therapy helps prevent the development of drug resistance.\"\ **Rationale:** Tuberculosis is treated with combination therapy to prevent the emergence of drug-resistant strains. Rifampin can be effective on its own, but resistance develops quickly when not used with other drugs​. **Question 9**\ During a follow-up visit, a patient on pyrazinamide therapy reports nausea and mild upper abdominal pain. What is the nurse\'s priority action? A. Assess liver function tests.\ B. Encourage the patient to eat small, frequent meals.\ C. Educate the patient that these symptoms are expected.\ D. Discontinue the medication and notify the healthcare provider. **Correct Answer:** A. Assess liver function tests.\ **Rationale:** Pyrazinamide is associated with hepatotoxicity, which can present as nausea and upper abdominal discomfort. Monitoring liver function tests is a priority to identify potential liver damage early​. **Question 10**\ A patient with tuberculosis asks why they must undergo visual acuity and color perception tests while taking ethambutol. What is the nurse\'s best response? A. \"The medication can cause damage to your liver, which may affect your vision.\"\ B. \"These tests help ensure the medication is effectively killing the bacteria.\"\ C. \"Ethambutol can affect your optic nerve and cause vision problems.\"\ D. \"These tests are routine and unrelated to your medication.\" **Correct Answer:** C. \"Ethambutol can affect your optic nerve and cause vision problems.\"\ **Rationale:** Ethambutol is known to cause optic neuritis, which may result in vision changes, including decreased acuity and color blindness. Regular vision tests help detect these adverse effects early​. **Question 11**\ A nurse is caring for a patient receiving Rifater. Which combination of medications does Rifater include? A. Isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol\ B. Rifampin, pyrazinamide, isoniazid\ C. Ethambutol, pyrazinamide, rifampin\ D. Rifampin, isoniazid, streptomycin **Correct Answer:** B. Rifampin, pyrazinamide, isoniazid\ **Rationale:** Rifater is a combination medication containing rifampin, pyrazinamide, and isoniazid. It is used in the initial treatment phase of tuberculosis to enhance efficacy and reduce the likelihood of resistance​. **Question 12**\ A patient is started on tuberculosis therapy with multiple medications. The nurse emphasizes the importance of adherence to therapy. What is the primary reason for this instruction? A. To prevent adverse effects from the medications\ B. To avoid the development of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis\ C. To reduce the cost of treatment\ D. To ensure complete eradication of all side effects **Correct Answer:** B. To avoid the development of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis\ **Rationale:** Adherence to tuberculosis therapy is crucial to prevent the development of multidrug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which are more difficult and expensive to treat​