Nurse education point for someone starting isoniazid therapy?

• A. Take on an empty stomach
• B. Skip doses if you feel well
• C. Ingest alcohol to prevent numbness
• D. Avoid alcohol

Answer: (D)

Isoniazid therapy carries a risk of liver toxicity, so the most important thing nurses educate patients on is avoiding alcohol, since alcohol can significantly increase the chance of hepatitis or severe liver injury when combined with isoniazid. In addition to avoiding alcohol, patients should be monitored for signs of liver trouble such as yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, fatigue, or abdominal pain, and they should report these symptoms promptly.

The other points aren’t the best safety messages. Taking isoniazid on an empty stomach isn’t the primary concern for safety, and some patients tolerate it better with food, so it isn’t the central teaching. Skipping doses because you feel well undermines treatment effectiveness and adherence. Drinking alcohol to prevent numbness is incorrect; numbness is a potential side effect (neurotoxicity) of isoniazid, which is managed with vitamin B6 rather than alcohol.