Basic
Informations
Retrovir is an HIV medication.
It is in a category of HIV medications called nucleoside reverse
transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). Retrovir prevents HIV from
altering the genetic material of healthy CD4 cells. This prevents
the cells from producing new virus and decreases the amount of virus
in the body.
Retrovir, manufactured by ViiV Healthcare, was the first drug
approved for the treatment of HIV, in 1987.
Generic versions of zidovudine for distribution in the United States
were approved in September 2005: zidovudine tablets (made by Ranbaxy
Laboratories of Gurgaon, India; Aurobindo Pharma of Hyderabad,
India; and Roxane Laboratories of Columbus, Ohio) and zidovudine
oral solution (made by Aurobindo Pharma). A capsule version of
zidovudine (made by Aurobindo Pharma) was approved for sale in the
United States in March 2006.
Retrovir must be used in combination with other HIV drugs.
Drugs
Interactions
Retrovir should not be
combined with Zerit. They are "antagonistic," which means that they
do not work well together and can cause additional side effects.
Similarly, Retrovir should not be taken with other drugs that
contain zidovudine, such as Combivir or Trizivir.
The protease inhibitors Reyataz (atazanavir) and Aptivus (tipranavir)
can interact with Retrovir. Blood levels of Retrovir and these
protease inhibitors are decreased when used together. However, no
official dosing recommendations have been made.
Retrovir should not be combined with either Rebetol or Copegus, two
brand-name versions of ribavirin. Ribavirin is an oral medication
used to treat hepatitis C. Ribavirin affects the way Retrovir is
broken down by the body into its active form, potentially make
Retrovir less effective and more toxic.
Methadone, a treatment for heroin addiction, can increase Retrovir
blood levels by 34 percent, increasing the risk of Retrovir side
effects.
Retrovir can interact with some medications used to treat TB, MAC
and other bacterial infections. Rifadin (rifampin) and Mycobutin (rifabutin)
can lower levels of Retrovir in the bloodstream, which can cause the
drug to be less effective against HIV. If you need to take Rifadin
or Mycobutin, it might be necessary to switch your Retrovir for
another nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) that does
not interact with these drugs.
Side
Effects
Bone marrow problems, such as
decreased production of red blood cells and/or white blood cells,
can occur in people talking Retrovir. Contact your doctor
immediately if you develop unusual fatigue, pale skin, sore throat,
fever, or chills, which may be signs of bone marrow problems. These
problems are more likely to occur if you combine Retrovir with other
drugs that cause these same side effects. Examples of other drugs
that can cause bone marrow problems include ganciclovir (Cytovene),
SMX-TMP (Bactrim; Septra), and various chemotherapy drugs used to
treat cancer.
A rare but potentially serious side effect of Retrovir is myopathy
(damage to the muscles, including the heart). People who use
Retrovir for a long period of time, meaning several years, are at
the greatest risk for myopathy. General symptoms of myopathy include
weakness of limbs, usually proximal (located close to the center of
the body).
Lactic acidosis, which can be fatal, and severe liver problems
(fatty liver) have been reported in people taking nucleoside reverse
transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). Contact your doctor immediately if
you experience nausea, vomiting, or unusual or unexpected stomach
discomfort; weakness and tiredness; shortness of breath; weakness in
the arms and legs; yellowing of the skin or eyes; or pain in the
upper stomach area. These problems are more likely to occur in
HIV-positive people taking Zerit, or Zerit in combination with
Videx/Videx EC (didanosine). However, there have been some reports
of these potentially serious side effects occurring in people taking
Retrovir.
Feeling tired (fatigue), rash, trouble sleeping (insomnia), nausea,
and headache can also be caused by Retrovir. Side effects are more
likely to occur in people who have low CD4 cell counts at the time
therapy with Retrovir is started.
HIV drug regimens containing NRTIs, including Retrovir, can cause
increased fat levels (cholesterol and triglycerides) in the blood,
abnormal body-shape changes (lipodystrophy; including increased fat
around the abdomen, breasts, and back of the neck, as well as
decreased fat in the face, arms, and legs), and diabetes. These side
effects of HIV drug therapy are reviewed in our lessons on
Lipodystrophy, Facial Lipoatrophy, and Risks To Your Heart
(Hyperlipidemia).
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