100 mg and 250 mg zidovudine capsule<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Retrovir is used to treat HIV infection ( human immunodeficiency virus ).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The active substance in Retrovir is zidovudine. Retrovir belongs to a group of antiretroviral medicines called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Retrovir cannot cure HIV infection;\u00a0it reduces the amount of virus in the body and keeps it at a low level.\u00a0Retrovir also increases the number of\u00a0CD4 cells<\/em>\u00a0in the blood.\u00a0CD4 cells are a type of\u00a0white blood cell\u00a0that is important for the body to fight infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Retrovir is used in combination with other medicines (“combination therapy”) to treat HIV in adults and children. To keep your HIV infection under control and to prevent the disease from getting worse, you must continue to take all your medicines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are pregnant, your doctor may want you to take Retrovir to prevent the transmission of\u00a0HIV\u00a0from you to your baby.\u00a0After birth, your baby can receive Retrovir to prevent it from becoming infected with\u00a0HIV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n HIV infection is spread through sexual contact with an infected person, or through contact with infected blood (eg by splitting injection needles).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Retrovir for newborns<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Retrovir should not be given to newborns with certain liver problems, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some people who use Retrovir or\u00a0combination therapy\u00a0for\u00a0HIV\u00a0are at greater risk for\u00a0side effects.\u00a0You need to be aware of the extra risks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pay attention to important symptoms<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Some people who use medicines for HIV infection develop other conditions, which can be serious. You need to know the important characteristics and symptoms to notice while you are taking Retrovir.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read the information in section 4 of this leaflet. <\/strong>If you have questions regarding this information or advice given there:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines<\/strong>, including medicines obtained without a prescription, herbal medicines, herbal medicines, or other natural products.\u00a0Remember to tell your doctor or pharmacist if you start taking a new medicine while taking Retrovir.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do not use these medicines with Retrovir:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Some medicines may make you more likely to get\u00a0side effects\u00a0or make them\u00a0more difficult to get rid of.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some medicines interact with Retrovir<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are pregnant, become pregnant, or are planning to become pregnant:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If HIV -positive pregnant women take Retrovir, they are less likely to transmit the HIV infection to the fetus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Retrovir and similar medicines can cause\u00a0side effects\u00a0in the fetus.\u00a0If you have taken Retrovir during your pregnancy, your doctor may request regular blood tests and other diagnostic tests to check your baby’s development.\u00a0For children with a\u00a0mother who took NRTIs during pregnancy, the benefit of\u00a0HIV\u00a0protection outweighs the\u00a0risk of\u00a0side effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Breast-feeding<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Women who are\u00a0HIV\u00a0-positive should not breastfeed<\/strong>\u00a0because HIV infection can be transmitted to the baby through breast milk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A small amount of the ingredients in Retrovir may also pass into breast milk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are breast-feeding or planning to breast-feed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You are responsible for assessing whether you are fit to drive a motor vehicle or perform work that requires sharpened attention.\u00a0One of the factors that can affect your ability in these respects is the use of drugs due to their effects and\/or\u00a0side effects.\u00a0Descriptions of these effects and\u00a0side effects\u00a0can be found in other sections.\u00a0Read all the information in this leaflet for guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Retrovir may make you dizzy<\/strong> and have other side effects that make you less alert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Retrovir contains sodium<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This medicine contains less than 1 mmol (23 mg) sodium per dose unit, ie it is essentially ‘sodium-free’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You will need to have regular blood tests<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As long as you are taking Retrovir, your doctor will arrange regular blood tests to detect\u00a0side effects.\u00a0For more information on these\u00a0side effects, see section 4 of this leaflet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep in regular contact with your doctor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Retrovir helps you keep your disease under control but is not a cure for HIV infection. <\/strong>You must take it every day to prevent the disease from getting worse. You can still get other infections or diseases associated with HIV infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Protect other people<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n HIV infection is spread through sexual contact with someone who has an infection or through infected blood (eg by splitting injection needles). You can still transmit HIV infection while taking this medicine, even though the risk of effective antiviral therapy is reduced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Discuss with your doctor the necessary measures to avoid infecting others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. <\/strong>If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Capsules should be swallowed whole with water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Retrovir is also available in liquid form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How much Retrovir do you need to take?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Adults and adolescents weighing at least 30 kg:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The usual dose of Retrovir is 250 mg or 300 mg twice daily. Take the doses at 12-hour intervals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Children:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Your child can take Retrovir in liquid form or 100 mg capsules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Children weighing more than 21 kg and less than 30 kg:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The usual dose of Retrovir is two 100 mg capsules twice daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Children weighing at least 14 kg and less than or equal to 21 kg:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The usual dose of one of Retrovir is one 100 mg capsule in the morning and two 100 mg capsules in the evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Children weighing at least 8 kg and less than 14 kg:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The usual dose of Retrovir is one 100 mg capsule twice daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Capsules are not suitable for children weighing less than 8 kg. Your doctor may decide to give your child Retrovir in liquid form or as an injection instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pregnancy, breast-feeding and newborns:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You should not normally take Retrovir during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy.\u00a0After week 14, the usual dose is 500 mg every day, given as a 100 mg capsule five times daily, until labor begins.\u00a0During labor and birth, your doctor may give you a Retrovir\u00a0injection\u00a0until the baby’s umbilical cord has been cut off.\u00a0Your newborn baby can also be given Retrovir to protect themselves from becoming infected with\u00a0HIV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n People with kidney or liver problems:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have severe kidney or liver problems, you may receive a lower dose of Retrovir depending on how well your kidneys or liver are working. Follow your doctor’s advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you take more Retrovir than you should, contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice. Show the Retrovir package, if possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have ingested too much medicine or if e.g.\u00a0If a child has ingested the medicine, contact a doctor or hospital for an assessment of the risk and advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you forget to take a\u00a0dose of\u00a0Retrovir, you do not need to worry.\u00a0You can take your next\u00a0dose\u00a0as soon as you remember it up to two hours before the next dose.\u00a0If it is less than two hours until you take your next\u00a0dose, just skip the missed\u00a0dose\u00a0and take the next\u00a0dose\u00a0at the usual time.\u00a0Then continue the treatment as usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do not take a double\u00a0dose\u00a0to make up for a\u00a0forgotten\u00a0dose.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Take Retrovir for as long as your doctor prescribes it. Do not stop without seeking medical advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During HIV treatment, weight gain and increased levels of lipids and glucose in the blood may occur. This is partly related to restored health and lifestyle, but when it comes to blood lipids, there can sometimes be a connection with HIV drugs. Your doctor will perform tests to find such changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Treatment with zidovudine (Retrovir) often causes loss of fat on the legs, arms, and face (lipoatrophy).\u00a0It has been shown that such loss of body fat may not return completely when zidovudine treatment is stopped.\u00a0Your doctor will look for signs of lipoatrophy.\u00a0Tell your doctor if you notice that the amount of fat decreases on your legs, arms, and face.\u00a0When such signs occur, stop taking Retrovir and receive other\u00a0HIV\u00a0treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like all medicines, this medicine can cause\u00a0side effects, although not everybody gets them.\u00a0Some\u00a0side effects\u00a0can be detected by blood tests and do not appear until 4-6 weeks after you start taking Retrovir.\u00a0If you get any of these effects, and if they are serious, your doctor may advise you to stop taking Retrovir.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to the\u00a0side effects\u00a0mentioned below,<\/strong>\u00a0other conditions can also develop during\u00a0combination therapy\u00a0for\u00a0HIV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton after EXP. The expiration date is the last day of the specified month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do not store above 30 \u00b0 C (86 \u00b0 F).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Store in the original package.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The active substance is zidovudine. Each capsule contains 100 mg and 250 mg of zidovudine, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other ingredients are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Capsules<\/em> : corn starch, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium starch glycolate, magnesium stearate, titanium dioxide (E171), gelatin, indigo carmine (E132) (only in 250 mg), opacode 10A1 black or 10A2 black (shellac, black iron oxide E172, propylene glycol only 28% ammonium opacode 10A1 black), strong ammonium solution (only in opacode 10A2 black), potassium hydroxide (only in opacode 10A2 black)).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Retrovir capsules 100 mg<\/strong> are hard, white capsules, marked with the code \u201cGSYJU\u201d. They are supplied in jars or blister packs of 100 capsules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Retrovir capsules 250 mg<\/strong> are hard blue and white capsules marked with the code \u201cGSJV2\u201d. They are supplied in blister packs of 40 capsules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ViiV Healthcare BV<\/p>\n\n\n\n Van Asch van Wijckstraat 55H<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3811 LP Amersfoort<\/p>\n\n\n\n Netherlands<\/p>\n\n\n\n For any information about this medicine, please contact the local representative of the Marketing Authorization Holder:<\/p>\n\n\n\n GlaxoSmithKline AB<\/p>\n\n\n\n Box 516<\/p>\n\n\n\n 169 29 Solna<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tel .: 08-638 93 00<\/p>\n\n\n\n Email: info.produkt@gsk.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Retrovir is used to treat HIV infection ( human immunodeficiency virus ).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2200,18529],"tags":[22858,22853,22854,22857,22855,22850,22856,22851,22849,22852],"class_list":["post-22016","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-medicines","category-r","tag-benefits-of-retrovir","tag-benefits-of-zidovudine","tag-retrovir","tag-retrovir-side-effects","tag-what-is-retrovir","tag-what-is-zidovudine","tag-what-retrovir-is-used-for","tag-what-zidovudine-is-used-for","tag-zidovudine","tag-zidovudine-side-effects"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22016","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22016"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22016\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22051,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22016\/revisions\/22051"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22016"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22016"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22016"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}What you need to know before you take Retrovir<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Do not take Retrovir<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Take special care with Retrovir<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Other medicines and Retrovir<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pregnancy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Driving and using machines<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to take Retrovir<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If you take more Retrovir than you should:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If you forget to take Retrovir:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Do not stop taking Retrovir without your doctor’s advice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Possible side effects<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Very common side effects are<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> <\/td> These may occur in\u00a0more than 1 in 10<\/strong>\u00a0users of Retrovir: headache and nausea.<\/td><\/tr> Common side effects are<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> <\/td> These can occur in up to 1 in 10<\/strong> users of Retrovir:<\/td><\/tr> <\/td> vomitingdiarrheaabdominal pain-dizziness muscle achesgeneral malaise. Common\u00a0side effects\u00a0that can be detected in your blood tests are low\u00a0red blood cell count\u00a0(\u00a0anemia\u00a0)\u00a0or low\u00a0white blood cell count\u00a0(\u00a0neutropenia\u00a0or\u00a0leukopenia\u00a0)increase in liver enzyme levels increase in the level of\u00a0bilirubin<\/em>\u00a0(a substance produced by the liver) in the blood, which can yellow your skin.<\/td><\/tr> Uncommon side effects are<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> <\/td> These can occur in\u00a0up to 1 in 100<\/strong>\u00a0users of Retrovir: skin rash (red, swollen, or itchy)shortness of breathfeverwidespread aches, and pain flatulence\u00a0_\u00a0_or impotence. Uncommon\u00a0side effects\u00a0that can be detected in your blood tests are decreastseveralr in blood cells involved in blood clotting capacity\u00a0(\u00a0thrombocytopenia\u00a0),<\/em>\u00a0or a decrease in all types of blood cells\u00a0(pancytopenia).<\/em><\/td><\/tr> Rare side effects<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> <\/td> These side effects may affect up to 1 in 1,000<\/strong> people in Retrovir:<\/td><\/tr> <\/td> lactic acidosis (excess\u00a0lactic acid\u00a0in the blood, see next section, “Other possible\u00a0side effects\u00a0of combination therapy for HIV”)liver diseases, such as jaundice, enlarged liver or\u00a0fatty liver inflammation\u00a0of the pancreaschest pain, heart muscle diseaseseizuresdepression or general anxiety, difficulty sleeping, difficulty concentrating, drowsinesspoor digestion, loss of appetite, taste changesdiscoloration of the nails, skin or inside of the mouthful-like symptoms\u00a0– chills, sweating and coughingnumbness and tingling in the skin increased urination frequency breast augmentation in men. A rare\u00a0side effect\u00a0that can be detected in your blood tests is decreased number of a type of\u00a0red blood cell\u00a0(pure red cell aplasia).<\/em><\/td><\/tr> Very rare side effects<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> <\/td> A\u00a0side effect\u00a0that can occur in\u00a0up to 1 in
10,000<\/strong>\u00a0users of Retrovir, and what can be detected in blood samples is a failure in the production of new blood cells\u00a0(\u00a0aplastic anemia\u00a0)\u00a0in the\u00a0bone marrow.<\/td><\/tr>If you get any side effects<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> <\/td> Talk to your doctor or pharmacist. <\/strong>This also applies to side effects that are not mentioned in this information.<\/td><\/tr> Other possible side effects are with combination therapy for HIV<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> <\/td> Some conditions can develop during HIV treatment.<\/td><\/tr> Old infection can flare up<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> <\/td> Patients with advanced HIV infection (\u00a0AIDS\u00a0) have a weakened immune system and are\u00a0more likely to develop serious\u00a0infections\u00a0(opportunistic\u00a0infections\u00a0).\u00a0When these patients start treatment, it happens that hidden\u00a0infections\u00a0can flare up and cause signs and symptoms of\u00a0inflammation.\u00a0These symptoms are probably caused by the body’s immune system getting better and the body starts to fight these\u00a0infections.
In addition to these opportunistic\u00a0infections, autoimmune diseases (conditions that occur when the immune system attacks healthy body tissue) can also occur after you start medication for your HIV infection.\u00a0Autoimmune diseases can develop several months after the start of treatment.\u00a0If you notice any symptoms of\u00a0infection\u00a0or other symptoms such as muscle weakness, a weakness that starts in the hands and feet and moves towards the torso, palpitations, tremors, or hyperactivity, contact a doctor immediately for necessary treatment.
If you notice any symptoms of\u00a0infection\u00a0while taking Retrovir: Talk to your doctor immediately.\u00a0<\/strong>Do not take any other medicines for\u00a0infection\u00a0without consulting your doctor.<\/td><\/tr>Lactic acidosis is a rare but serious side effect<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> <\/td> Some patients taking Retrovir to develop a condition called lactic acidosis, in combination with an enlarged liver.\u00a0Lactic acidosis is caused by an accumulation of\u00a0lactic acid\u00a0in the body.\u00a0This condition is rare;\u00a0if it occurs, it develops after a few months of treatment.\u00a0It can be life-threatening and causes failure of internal organs.
The risk of developing lactic acidosis is greater in patients who have liver disease, or in severe obesity, especially in women.<\/td><\/tr>Characteristics of lactic acidosis include:<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> <\/td> deep, fast, strained breathing drowsiness numbness<\/strong> or feeling of weakness\u00a0in arms and legs decreased appetite, weight loss nausea, vomiting abdominal pain.
During treatment, your doctor will closely monitor for signs of lactic acidosis.\u00a0If you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, or other symptoms that worry you see your doctor as soon as possible.<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>You may have a skeletal problem<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> <\/td> Some patients treated with\u00a0combination therapy\u00a0for\u00a0HIV\u00a0develop a condition called\u00a0osteonecrosis<\/em>.\u00a0In this condition, parts of bone tissue die due to reduced blood supply to the skeleton.
Patients may be at greater risk for this condition: if they have been treated with\u00a0combination therapy\u00a0for a long time they are\u00a0also taking anti-inflammatory drugs called\u00a0corticosteroids if they drink alcohol if their immune system is very weak they are overweight. Characteristics of\u00a0osteonecrosis\u00a0include stiffness in the joints aches and pains\u00a0(especially in the hips, knees, or shoulders), and mobility impairment. If you notice any of these symptoms: Tell your doctor.<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>Other effects that can be detected with blood tests<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> <\/td> Combination therapy\u00a0for\u00a0HIV\u00a0can also cause: elevated levels of\u00a0lactic acid\u00a0in the blood, which in rare cases can lead to lactic acidosis this can be demonstrated in the blood samples that will be taken while you are taking Retrovir.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n How to store Retrovir<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Contents of the pack and other information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Content declaration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Appearance and package sizes of medicines<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Marketing Authorization Holder and Manufacturer:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n