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Retrovir Medication - Uses & Side Effects

Generic Name: Zidovudine

Zidovudine, trade name Retrovir (also known as AZT or ZDV) was the first drug approved for the treatment of HIV. Retrovir medicine is an anti-HIV treatment in a class of drugs known as nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). After taking this drug, the body breaks the drugs into chemicals that is used to stop HIV from infecting and uninfected cells in the body, but Retrovir will not help those cells that have already been infected with the virus.

Retrovir is an anti-HIV medication. Retrovir medicine is used to prevents HIV by altering the genetic material of healthy T-cells. Retrovir are also used to prevents the cells from producing new virus and decreases the amount of virus in the body.

Retrovir Dosage

• Mostly the usual dose of Retrovir medicine in combination with other HIV drugs should be 600 milligrams a day and you can also take this medicine by dividing single dosage into smaller doses.
• If you are pregnant, or planing to become pregnant, then the usual dosage is 100 milligrams in capsules, tablets, or you can take syrup 5 times a day, beginning at 14 weeks of pregnancy, until you go into labor.
• The usual starting dose for children 6 weeks to 12 years of age decide by your doctor as determined by body size. While the dose should not increases 200 milligrams every 8 hours. You can also take this drug with other medicine that are also use for the HIV infection.

Uses of Retrovir

• Zidovudine medicine is used to treat HIV, which causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Zidovudine is also used during pregnancy to prevent an HIV-infected woman from passing the virus to her baby.
• Retrovir medication may also be used to prevent HIV infection after contact with the virus.
• You can used this drug with other medications to help control your HIV infection, thereby improving your quality of life.

Side Effects of Retrovir

Before taking Retrovir medicine, discuss with your doctor about the risk and benefits. Side effects of Retrovir medicine may include:

• nausea
• Cough
• diarrhea
• vomiting
• mouth sores
• fever
• nasal discharge or congestion
• difficult or labored breathing
• ear pain
• rash
• discharge or swelling
• enlarged liver
• enlarged spleen

Warnings and precautions before taking Retrovir:

• You should used condoms to prevent transmitting the virus to your sexual partner. Because the treatment of HIV infection with anti-HIV medicines does not reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to other people through sexual contact or blood contamination.
• You should test the blood regularly, when you are taking Retrovir medicine because after test your doctor may monitor the number of blood cells.
• zidovudine medicine can sometimes cause a decrease in the numbers of white blood cells and red blood cells in the blood.
• Tell your doctor If you have any problems with your liver, in particular chronic hepatitis B or C, you should have regular blood tests to monitor your liver function. while you are taking this medicine.

Drug Interaction :-

If you are using other drugs with Retrovir medicine, because the effects of Retrovir medicine may be increased, decreased, or altered and it may also cause to other serious effect. So it is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Retrovir with the following:

• Nelfinavir (Viracept)
• Atovaquone (Mepron)
• Doxorubicin (Adriamycin, a cancer drug)
• Phenytoin (Dilantin, a seizure medication)
• Probenecid (Benemid, an antigout drug)
• Fluconazole (Diflucan)
• Ribavirin (Virazole)
• Ganciclovir (Cytovene)
• Rifampin (Rifadin)
• Interferon (Intron A, Roferon-A)
• Methadone
• Ritonavir (Norvir)

Overdose

After taking Retrovir medication, If you feel the overdose is suspected. Contact with your doctor immediately. Symptoms of Retrovir overdose may include:

• Fatigue
• headache
• nausea
• vomiting

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