What are the requirements for blood work, check ups, and diagnostic testing?
Baseline tests are performed upon initiation of medication therapy. Diagnostic checkups are then recommended on a regular basis every 4-6 weeks while on medications. The monthly safety tests include blood counts, liver and kidney function tests, and sputum cultures. Physician follow up visits consist of questions about the potential development of side effects such as blurry vision (caused by ethambutol), nausea and vomiting, or diarrhea (Biaxin or Zithromax), or fever and chills (rifabutin). The questioning about blurry vision while on ethambutol is especially important because the drug must be promptly discontinued if the vision change appears to relate to the medicine. Additional testing for eyes are use of the “eye chart” with letters read at 20 feet, and a red-green color book to distinguish changes in the ability to visualize colors. HRCT (high resolution computerized tomography) scans, and pulmonary function tests are completed at the start of therapy and continued on an as need
