Zidovudine : Before Using - Retrovir, Apo-Zidovudine, Novo-AZT, AZT

Zidovudine - Systemic

Brand Names

Retrovir, Apo-Zidovudine, Novo-AZT, AZT Zidovudine *** Before Using *** How to Use *** Fore Safe Use *** Side Effects *** Additional Information

Before Using

In deciding to using a medication, the chance of taking the drug must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you will make. For zidovudine, the following must be considered

Allergic reaction

Tell your family doctor if you have any unusual or allergic reaction to zidovudine. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy care

Zidovudine crosses the placenta. Studies in pregnant women have shown that zidovudine decreases the risk of passing HIV to your baby during pregnancy and at birth. In these studies, zidovudine did not increase the occurrence of birth defects. In most studies in pets, zidovudine has not been shown to cause birth defects except at extremely high doses; however, it has been shown to decrease the number of successful pregnancies in rats and rabbits at doses many times higher than human doses.

Breast-feeding problem

Zidovudine passes into breast milk. Breast-feeding is usually not recommended in diseaseds with HIV infection because of the risk of passing HIV to the infant.

Use for Children

Zidovudine can cause serious side effects in any patient. Therefore, it is especially important that you discuss with your child's family doctor the good that this drug may do as well as the chance of using it. Your child must be carefully followed and frequently seen, by the family doctor while he or she is taking zidovudine.

Elderly care

Zidovudine has not been studied specifically in elderly people. Therefore, it is not known whether it causes various side effects or problems in the elderly than it does in adults people.

Drug interactions

Although certain medication must not be using together at all, in other cases two various medication may be using together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your family doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking zidovudine, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

Amphotericin B by injection - Fungizone
Antineoplastics - cancer drug
Antithyroid agents - drug for overactive thyroid
Azathioprine - Imuran
Chloramphenicol - Chloromycetin
Colchicine
Cyclophosphamide - Cytoxan
Flucytosine - Ancobon
Ganciclovir - Cytovene
Interferon - Intron A, Roferon-A
Mercaptopurine - Purinethol
Methotrexate - Mexate
Plicamycin - Mithracin Caution must be using if these medication and zidovudine are using together; taking zidovudine while you are using or receiving these medication may make anemia and other blood problems worse

Clarithromycin - Biaxin Clarithromycin may decrease the amount of zidovudine in the blood

Probenecid - Benemid Probenecid may increase the amount of zidovudine in the blood, increasing the risk of side effects

Doxorubicin - Adriamycin
Ribavirin - Virazole These medication may cause zidovudine to be less effective

Other Information for using

The presence of other medical problems may effect the use of zidovudine. Make sure you tell your family doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

Anemia or other blood problems Zidovudine may make these conditions worse

Liver disease Patients with liver disease may have an increase in side effects from zidovudine

Low amounts of folic acid or vitamin B₁₂ in the blood Zidovudine may worsen anemia causing by a decrease of folic acid or vitamin B₁₂