Zidovudine Injection

Zidovudine injection may decrease the number of certain cells in your blood, including red and white blood cells. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had a low number of any type of blood cells or any blood disorders such as anemia (a lower than normal number of red blood cells) or bone marrow problems. Call your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms: unusual bleeding or bruising, fever, chills, or other symptoms of infection, unusual tiredness or weakness, or pale skin.

Zidovudine injection also may cause life-threatening damage to the liver and a potentially life-threatening condition called lactic acidosis (buildup of lactic acid in the blood). Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had liver disease. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment: nausea, vomiting, pain in the upper right part of your stomach, loss of appetite, extreme tiredness, weakness, dizziness, lightheadedness, fast or irregular heartbeat, trouble breathing, dark yellow or brown urine, light-colored bowel movements, yellowing of the skin or eyes, feeling cold, especially in the arms or legs, or muscle pain that is different than any muscle pain you usually experience.

Zidovudine injection may cause muscle disease, especially when used for a longer period of time. Call your doctor if you experience tiredness, muscle pain, or weakness.

It is important to keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain lab tests to check your response to zidovudine injection.

Talk to your doctor about the risks of receiving zidovudine injection.

🔔 Why is this medication prescribed?

Zidovudine injection is used along with other medications to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Zidovudine is given to HIV-positive pregnant women to reduce the chance of passing the infection to the baby. Zidovudine injection is in a class of medications called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). It works by decreasing the amount of HIV in the blood. Although zidovudine injection does not cure HIV, it may decrease your chance of developing acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and HIV-related illnesses such as serious infections or cancer. Using or taking these medications along with practicing safer sex and making other life-style changes may decrease the risk of transmitting (spreading) the HIV virus to other people.

🔔 How should this medicine be used?

Zidovudine injection comes as a solution (liquid) to inject intravenously (into a vein). It is usually given over an hour every 4 hours, but infants 6 weeks of age and younger may receive it over a period of 30 minutes every 6 hours. During labor and delivery, women may receive a continuous zidovudine infusion until the baby is delivered.

Your doctor may temporarily stop your treatment if you experience serious side effects.

You may receive zidovudine injection in a hospital, or you may administer the medication at home. If you will be receiving zidovudine injection at home, your healthcare provider will show you how to use the medication. Be sure that you understand these directions, and ask your healthcare provider if you have any questions.

🔔 Other uses for this medicine

This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.