Rifater

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Rifater is a fixed dose combination tablet manufactured by Aventis used in the treatment of tuberculosis. Each tablet contains 120 mg rifampicin, 50 mg isoniazid and 300 mg pyrazinamide.

It is used in the first two months of tuberculosis treatment. The dose given depends on the patient's weight:

up to 40 kg, 3 tablets daily;
40 to 49 kg, 4 tablets daily;
50 to 64 kg, 5 tablets daily;
65 kg or more, 6 tablets daily.

Rifater should not be used in children (the doses are wrong for them).

The purpose of the fixed dose combination is to make it easier for patients to take their medication; but also to ensure that if patients forget to take one or two of their drugs, they do not then develop resistance to the remaining drugs.