HIV is a serious health condition that can change the way you live your life easily. As this condition is chronic, you do not have any other choice but making the most out of life as you have it with the aid of medicine treatments that will help you manage your ailment. One thing an HIV patient dread is for his condition to develop into AIDS. With that specific concern, the medicine world has an answer: Zidovudine
Zidovudine is an antiretroviral drug that helps prevent HIV from multiplying and continuously growing in your body, and in the long run, develop into AIDS. Zidovudine is also used as an effective shield for babies under the mother-to-child transmission of the virus. HIV transmission in pregnancy is at high risk. However, with the help of Zidovudine as part of the regimen, the transmission risk may be reduced by 8%.
Zidovudine comes in tablet, capsule, and liquid suspension forms. It is taken orally by mouth as prescribed. The dosages and dosing schedule depends on what it was prescribed for. Adult patients usually get 600mg of Zidovudine a day in divided doses. Young patients 18 years old and below can also be given Zidovudine but with accurate calculations of the exact dosage needed.
In most cases, Zidovudine is prescribed along with other drugs. You must follow your doctor’s instructions closely regarding the dosages and administration of all your medicines. To get the most benefit from Zidovudine, you must maintain certain levels of it in the body. Be careful not to miss a dose.
Before taking Zidovudine, there are special precautions that apply. Tell your doctor if you have any drug allergies or any of the following conditions: liver or kidney disease and bone marrow suppression. Such conditions may require dosage adjustments or administration of a different drug altogether.
Zidovudine may cause lactic acidosis as well as liver disorders. To be completely safe, make sure that you submit yourself under close monitoring while under this drug treatment. Both your blood and your liver function need to be tested regularly.
Zidovudine must not be used with other drugs that contain Zidovudine in any strength. Tell your doctor about all the drugs you are using to keep a close watch on possible drug interactions.
As with the use of any drug, the symptoms of side effects are monitored to ensure that the patient is getting more of the benefits and less of the discomforts. Zidovudine may cause mild to severe side effects. Work with your doctor in assessing your symptoms and ensuring that they do not outweigh the advantages of going under the drug treatment.
The common but mild side effects of Zidovudine include insomnia, nausea and vomiting, stomach upset, headache, tiredness, and muscle and joint pains among others. These symptoms are causes for alarms if they do not go away easily or they become worse.
Then there are the less common but serious side effects, which you must check out for constantly because they can be life-threatening. Signs of liver damage, lactic acidosis, pancreatitis, peripheral neuropathy, bleeding disorders, flu, and a new infection must rush you to your doctor immediately.
Zidovudine has the following structural formula:
• Molecular formula of zidovudine is C10H13N5O4
• Chemical IUPAC Name is 1-[(2R,4S,5S)-4-azido-5-(hydroxymethyl)oxolan-2-yl]-5-methyl-pyrimidine-2,4-dione
• Molecular weight is 267.242 g/mol
• Zidovudine available : 300mg tablets
Brand name(s): Apo-Zidovudine, Azidothymidine, Aztec, Compound S, Novo-Azt, Retrovir
Review published on: 28 April 2009
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