Possible Causes of Altered Urine Color 



Red 

    Foods: beets, blackberries, rhubarb 

    Medications: laxatives, antipsychotics (chlorpromazine, thioridazine), anesthetics (propofol) 

    Toxins: lead, mercury 

    Conditions: urinary tract infections, nephrolithiasis, porphyria, hemoglobinuria (rhabdomyolysis); see Question 7 

Orange 

    Foods: vitamin C, carrots 

    Medications: rifampin, phenazopyridine 

Green 

    Foods: asparagus 

    Medications: vitamin B, propofol 

    Conditions: Pseudomonas urinary tract infection 

Blue 

    Medications: amitriptyline, indomethacin, IV cimetidine, IV promethazine, triamterene, methylene blue 

    Conditions: blue diaper syndrome (see Question 5) 

Brown 

    Foods: fava beans 

    Medications: antimalarials (chloroquine, primaquine), antimicrobials (metronidazole, nitrofurantoin), laxatives (senna), methocarbamol, levodopa 

    Conditions: hepatobiliary diseases (obstructive and nonobstructive), tyrosinemia, Gilbert syndrome 

Pink 

    Uric acid crystals 

Purple

    Purple (Purple Urine Syndrome): Indwelling Catheter + Alkaline UTI (Providencia, Klebsiella. Proteus)

Black 

    Conditions: malianant melanoma. Porphyria. alkaptonuria (ochronosis) 



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