Zidovudine Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Zidovudine Tablet (generic name: Zidovudine), also known as AZT, is an antiretroviral medicine belonging to the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor class. It is used together with other medicines to treat HIV infection and to help prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. It does not cure or prevent HIV or AIDS, but it lowers the amount of virus in the blood and supports the immune system.

What is Zidovudine Tablet

Zidovudine (also known as AZT) is an antiviral medicine used together with other medicines to treat HIV infection. It does not cure or prevent HIV or AIDS, but it lowers the amount of HIV in the blood and helps the immune system.

Zidovudine Tablet uses

• Treatment of HIV infection in combination with other antiretroviral medicines
• Prevention of mother-to-child (perinatal) transmission of HIV during pregnancy and at birth
• Post-exposure prophylaxis (as part of a combination regimen) to help prevent HIV infection after potential exposure, such as needlestick injuries or sexual assault

Benefits of Zidovudine Tablet

• Significantly reduces the amount of HIV virus in the body, improving quality of life
• Helps prevent transmission of HIV from mother to child during childbirth
• Enhances overall treatment effectiveness when used in combination with other antiretroviral drugs

How Zidovudine Tablet works

Zidovudine blocks an enzyme HIV needs to copy itself, called reverse transcriptase. This stops the virus from multiplying and lowers the amount of virus in the blood, which helps the immune system work better.

Zidovudine Tablet dosage

Take this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not take more, take it more often, or take it for longer than prescribed. Do not change the dose or stop taking it without checking with your doctor first.

Keep taking this medicine for the full course of treatment even if you begin to feel better, and continue taking all other HIV medicines your doctor has prescribed. It can be taken with or without food.

If using the oral liquid, shake it before use and measure each dose with a proper measuring device, not an average household spoon.

Try not to miss doses, since this medicine works best when there is a constant amount in the blood. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, but skip it if it is almost time for your next dose; do not double up.

Do not allow your supply to run out; contact your doctor or pharmacist ahead of time when it is running low.

Available forms and strengths

• Tablet
• Capsule
• Oral solution/syrup
• Injection

Side effects of Zidovudine Tablet

Common

• Chills and fever
• Sore throat
• Pale skin
• Unusual tiredness or weakness
• Cough
• Feeling of fullness
• Lower back or side pain
• Painful or difficult urination
• Right upper abdominal pain and fullness
• Swelling or inflammation of the mouth
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Ulcers, sores, or white spots in the mouth
• Unusual bleeding or bruising
• Black, tarry stools
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Insomnia
• Difficulty having a bowel movement
• Weight loss
• Heartburn
• Stomach cramps
• Muscle soreness

Serious

• Bone marrow suppression, which may lead to anemia or low white blood cell counts (fever, chills, sore throat, pale skin, or unusual tiredness or weakness)
• Lactic acidosis (too much acid in the blood)
• Liver toxicity, including an enlarged liver (dark urine, decreased appetite, diarrhea, general discomfort, light-colored stools, muscle cramping or pain, nausea, stomach discomfort, unusual tiredness, trouble breathing, vomiting, or yellow eyes or skin)
• Muscle pain, tenderness, wasting, or unusual weakness (myopathy)
• Immune reconstitution syndrome, where the immune system starts fighting hidden infections such as pneumonia or tuberculosis, or triggers autoimmune disorders
• Changes in body fat distribution (fat gain in the upper back, neck, chest, or stomach, or fat loss from the legs, arms, and face)
• Severe allergic reactions such as large hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or genitals
• Unexplained bleeding or bruising

Warnings and precautions

• Zidovudine can cause blood and bone marrow problems, which may increase the risk of infections and slow healing, so care should be taken with oral hygiene tools like toothbrushes, floss, and toothpicks.
• Two rare but serious reactions are lactic acidosis (too much acid in the blood) and liver toxicity, including an enlarged liver.
• Starting HIV medicines can strengthen the immune system, which may cause it to start fighting hidden infections like pneumonia or tuberculosis, or trigger autoimmune disorders such as Graves' disease, polymyositis, or Guillain-Barré syndrome.
• This medicine may cause changes in body fat, such as increased fat in the upper back, neck, chest, or stomach, or loss of fat from the legs, arms, and face.
• This medicine will not stop you from spreading HIV to a sexual partner, so safe sex practices such as latex condoms should still be used, and needles, toothbrushes, and razor blades should not be shared.
• Do not take other medicines, including over-the-counter drugs, herbal products, or vitamin supplements, unless you have discussed them with your doctor.
• Zidovudine is used in pregnant women with HIV to help lower the risk of passing HIV to the baby, but it is generally used only when needed and only after discussing the risks and benefits with a doctor.
• There isn't enough research on the risk to infants from this medicine during breastfeeding. It is generally only used in life-threatening situations, and your doctor may advise you to stop the drug or stop breastfeeding depending on your condition.
• This medicine should be used with extra caution in people with kidney disease because the effects may be stronger since the body removes the medicine more slowly.
• This medicine should be used with extra caution in people with liver disease, including hepatitis, because the medicine may build up in the body and increase the risk of severe side effects such as liver toxicity or lactic acidosis.
• It's best to avoid alcohol while taking this medicine, since it may increase the risk of liver problems and could make side effects worse.

Storage

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
• Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.
• Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.
• Do not freeze the oral liquid.

When to see a doctor

• Call your doctor right away if you have dark urine, decreased appetite, diarrhea, general discomfort, light-colored stools, muscle cramping or pain, nausea, stomach discomfort or cramping, unusual tiredness or weakness, trouble breathing, vomiting, or yellow eyes or skin.
• Check with your doctor if you have muscle pain, tenderness, wasting, or unusual tiredness or weakness while using this medicine.
• Check with your doctor if you notice symptoms of bone marrow problems, such as fever, chills, sore throat, pale skin, or unusual tiredness or weakness.
• Tell your doctor right away if you notice any changes in your health after starting HIV medicines, as your immune system may react to hidden infections.

Alternatives

• Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)
• Tenofovir alafenamide (TAF)
• Abacavir
• Emtricitabine