14.3.1 Treatment regimens for different TB categories
A regimen is a defined course of drug treatment.
If you are already a health worker, you will be familiar with the types of anti-TB drugs used in Ethiopia. However, we will teach the regimens here in detail because they may have been updated since you learned about them. The first line anti-TB drugs used are (drug abbreviation in brackets):
rifampicin (R), ethambutol (E), isoniazid (H), pyrazinamide (Z) and streptomycin (S).
Vials are small glass bottles of liquid injectable medications (or vaccines).
These drugs are provided in combination. For instance R, H, Z and E are combined in one preparation in the proportions (RHZE 150/75/400/275 mg). Similarly, two drugs can be combined in one preparation, for example R and H are combined (RH 150/75 mg), and so are E and H (EH 400/150 mg). Some drugs are available as single drug preparations; such as ethambutol 400 mg, isoniazid 150 mg and 300 mg, and streptomycin sulphate vials (1 g). Streptomycin is administered by injection while the other drugs are taken orally. All the drugs should be taken by patients together as a single, daily dose, preferably on an empty stomach to improve drug absorption.
14.3 Patient categories and treatment regimens