What is isoniazid?
Isoniazid is an antibacterial prescription medicine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis (TB). TB is an opportunistic infection. An opportunistic infection is an infection that occurs more frequently or is more severe in people with weakened immune systems—such as those infected with HIV—than in people with healthy immune systems.
The Guidelines for Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in HIV-Infected Adults and Adolescents, prepared by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), includes recommendations on the HIV-related uses of isoniazid to treat:
- Latent TB infection to prevent the infection from advancing to active TB disease.
- Active TB disease.
What should I tell my health care provider before taking isoniazid?
Before taking isoniazid, tell your health care provider:
- If you are allergic to isoniazid or any other medicines.
- About any medical conditions you have or have had, for example, diabetes or liver problems.
- About anything that could affect your ability to take medicines, such as difficulty swallowing or remembering to take pills.
- If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Whether isoniazid can harm an unborn baby is unknown.
- If you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you are infected with HIV.
- About other prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Ask your health care provider if there are interactions between isoniazid and the other medicines you take.
Ask your health care provider about possible side effects from isoniazid. Your health care provider will tell you what to do if you have side effects.
How should I take isoniazid?
Take isoniazid according to your health care provider’s instructions. Your health care provider will tell you how much isoniazid to take and when to take it. Before you start isoniazid and each time you get a refill, read any printed information that comes with your medicine.
How should isoniazid be stored?
- Store isoniazid injection solution at 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C) and protect it from light. The solution may crystallize at low temperatures. If this occurs, warm the vial to room temperature before use to redissolve the crystals.
- Store isoniazid oral solution at room temperature, 59°F to 86°F (15°C to 30°C).
- Store isoniazid tablets at 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C) and protect them from moisture and light.
- Safely throw away isoniazid that is no longer needed or expired (out of date).
- Keep isoniazid and all medicines out of reach of children.
Where can I find more information about isoniazid?
More information about isoniazid is available:
Last Reviewed: September 13, 2012
Last Updated: September 13, 2012