Retrovir

Retrovir is the brand name for zidovudine (AZT), an antiretroviral medication used to treat and prevent HIV infection. It belongs to the class of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). Zidovudine is a thymidine analog that inhibits the HIV reverse transcriptase enzyme, blocking the conversion of viral RNA into DNA. By incorporating into the growing viral DNA chain, it causes chain termination and reduces viral replication.

Zidovudine was the first antiretroviral approved for HIV treatment, receiving FDA approval in 1987. It was originally marketed as Retrovir by Burroughs Wellcome and later by successor companies such as GlaxoSmithKline after corporate mergers. The drug is available in oral tablet form and as an intravenous formulation for specific clinical settings.

Retrovir is used as part of combination antiretroviral therapy to treat HIV-1 infection in adults and children, often as a component of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). It is also used in prevention settings, including reducing mother-to-child transmission when given to HIV-infected pregnant women and, in some regimens, to newborns after birth; it may be included in post-exposure prophylaxis regimens following potential HIV exposure.

Common adverse effects include anemia and neutropenia, fatigue, headaches, and nausea. More serious but less frequent risks include lactic acidosis with hepatic steatosis, pancreatitis, and bone marrow suppression. Zidovudine can interact with other antiretrovirals and certain medications; monitoring of blood counts and liver function is recommended during therapy. It is generally used with caution in patients with significant bone marrow suppression or hepatic or renal impairment.