Can you answer the following questions about Retrovir®?
What is the generic name? Any abbreviations?
What "class" antiretroviral is it and how does it work?
With food, without food or food doesn't matter?
Any side effects?
Any possible drug interactions?
What is a typical dose?
Do any other drugs contain Retrovir ®?
Name them.
Any other significant counseling points?
Retrovir ® (Zidovudine) is a
nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) and inhibits viral
replication.
Retrovir ® (Zidovudine) may be taken
with or without food but food may help
decrease GI upset.
The most serious common
side effect associated with Retrovir® (Zidovudine) is bone marrow suppression
and anemia.
Less serious common side effects associated with Retrovir®
(Zidovudine) may include nausea,
headache
and fatigue.
Lactic acidosis with
hepatic steatosis is a rare but potentially fatal toxicity associated
with the use of NRTIs.
Due to a drug interaction, zidovudine
and stavudine (another NRTI) should never be used
together.
It can be dosed as 300 mg bid, 200 mg tid, or as Combivir® (lamivudine
150 mg/zidovudine 300 mg) 1 tab bid. Since
Trizivir® contains Zidovudine as one of its three components,
Trizivir® may be an alternative dosing option.
Be very careful reading written prescriptions for Retrovir®,
it looks very similar to Ritonavir (Norvir®)
and mistakes have been made.
As with all antiretrovirals, adherence is
crucial.
Non-adherence is a frequent cause of drug failure and viral
resistance, not only to zidovudine, but to other NRTIs as well.
