Which of the following antitubercular medications has the side effect of Pinkish orange color urine?

Appeared in: NORCET 2 -2021 (Shift-2)

Explanation

Rifampin is a first-line antitubercular drug known for causing a harmless red-orange to pinkish-orange discoloration of body fluids.
This side effect affects urine, sweat, tears, and saliva.
The color change is due to the drug's chromophoric (color-producing) properties and is not a sign of a harmful reaction.
Patient education is essential to prevent alarm and ensure medication adherence.

Option B: The main side effect of Ethambutol is not urine discoloration but optic neuritis.
Option C: Pyrazinamide's primary adverse effects are related to the liver (hepatotoxicity) and high uric acid levels (hyperuricemia), not urine color.
Option D: Isoniazid is primarily associated with peripheral neuropathy and hepatotoxicity.

Visual 1: Infographic: A chart showing the four first-line antitubercular drugs (Rifampin, Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Ethambutol) with icons representing their most common and serious side effects (e.g., an orange teardrop for Rifampin, an eye for Ethambutol, a liver for Pyrazinamide/Isoniazid).

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Side effects of antitubercular medications as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Patient education is a critical nursing responsibility when administering antitubercular drugs. Informing the patient about the harmless orange discoloration from Rifampin prevents anxiety and non-adherence.
Nurses must monitor for the more severe adverse effects of these drugs, such as obtaining baseline liver function tests (for INH, Rifampin, PZA) and assessing visual acuity (for Ethambutol).
What if? If a patient on Rifampin reports dark, 'cola-colored' urine along with yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), this is a medical emergency. This is not the expected orange discoloration but a sign of severe hepatotoxicity, and the nurse must instruct the patient to seek immediate medical attention.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the core question: The question asks for a specific side effect (pinkish-orange urine) of an antitubercular drug.
This is a factual recall question. Access your knowledge of pharmacology.
Review the options provided: Rifampin, Ethambutol, Pyrazinamide, and Isoniazid are all first-line antitubercular drugs.
Mentally associate each drug with its most prominent side effect.
Recall that Rifampin is famous for causing red-orange discoloration of body fluids.
Confirm that the side effects of the other drugs (optic neuritis for Ethambutol, hyperuricemia for Pyrazinamide, peripheral neuropathy for Isoniazid) do not match the question.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Side effects of antitubercular medications
Stem keywords: antitubercular medications, side effect, Pinkish orange color urine
Lead-in keywords: Which
Negative lead-in flag: false

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Practise the full NORCET 2 -2021 (Shift-2)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.