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Retrovir
Zidovudine
$506.00
100mg · 2 × 100 capsules · 3 months supply
BrandBranded medicine· By GSK
$168.67 per month
Strength
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Annual cost
$1771a year at this pack size
Prescription required
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100mg
250mg
FDA boxed warningRisk of hematological toxicity, myopathy, lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis
RETROVIR (zidovudine) capsules, oral solution, and injection have been associated with hematologic toxicity including neutropenia and severe anemia, particularly in patients with advanced HIV-1 disease.
Prolonged use of RETROVIR has been associated with symptomatic myopathy.
Lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis, including fatal cases, have been reported with the use of nucleoside analogues alone or in combination, including RETROVIR and other antiretrovirals. Suspend treatment if clinical or laboratory findings suggestive of lactic acidosis or pronounced hepatotoxicity occur.
Hematologic toxicity including neutropenia and severe anemia have been associated with the use of zidovudine.
Symptomatic myopathy associated with prolonged use of zidovudine.
Lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis, including fatal cases, have been reported with the use of nucleoside analogues including RETROVIR. Suspend treatment if clinical or laboratory findings suggestive of lactic acidosis or pronounced hepatotoxicity occur.
About Retrovir
Overview
Retrovir capsules contain zidovudine, an antiretroviral medicine. It is used with other antiretroviral medicines to treat HIV-1 infection. It is also indicated to help prevent HIV-1 transmission from mother to baby. Zidovudine acts against HIV-1 by blocking reverse transcriptase.
What it treats
• Treatment of HIV-1 infection in combination with other antiretroviral medicines. • Prevention of HIV-1 transmission from mother to baby.
Safety information
Side effects
Commonly reported side effects in adults include headache, feeling generally unwell, nausea, loss of appetite and vomiting. In children, fever and cough were commonly reported. In newborns, anemia (low red blood cell counts) and neutropenia (low levels of a type of white blood cell) were commonly reported. Contact a doctor if you develop serious side effects, including anemia or neutropenia, muscle disease with symptoms, lactic acidosis (a buildup of lactic acid in the body), or severe liver enlargement with fat buildup. Worsening liver function, sometimes fatal, has occurred in people with both HIV-1 and hepatitis C receiving combination antiretroviral treatment and interferon alfa, with or without ribavirin. Taking ribavirin with zidovudine can worsen anemia and is not advised. Immune reconstitution syndrome, involving an inflammatory response as the immune system recovers, and loss of body fat have also been reported with combination antiretroviral treatment. Discuss these effects with your doctor.
FDA boxed warning
Risk of hematological toxicity, myopathy, lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis
RETROVIR (zidovudine) capsules, oral solution, and injection have been associated with hematologic toxicity including neutropenia and severe anemia, particularly in patients with advanced HIV-1 disease.
Prolonged use of RETROVIR has been associated with symptomatic myopathy.
Lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis, including fatal cases, have been reported with the use of nucleoside analogues alone or in combination, including RETROVIR and other antiretrovirals. Suspend treatment if clinical or laboratory findings suggestive of lactic acidosis or pronounced hepatotoxicity occur.
Hematologic toxicity including neutropenia and severe anemia have been associated with the use of zidovudine.
Symptomatic myopathy associated with prolonged use of zidovudine.
Lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis, including fatal cases, have been reported with the use of nucleoside analogues including RETROVIR. Suspend treatment if clinical or laboratory findings suggestive of lactic acidosis or pronounced hepatotoxicity occur.
A boxed warning is the strongest warning the US Food and Drug Administration requires on a medicine label. Text is taken from the official label, with internal section references removed.
Before taking this medicine
Do not take Retrovir if you have had a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction to zidovudine or any of its ingredients, including anaphylaxis or Stevens–Johnson syndrome. Important risks include blood toxicity, muscle disease, lactic acidosis (a buildup of lactic acid in the blood) and severe liver enlargement. If you have both HIV-1 and hepatitis C, taking zidovudine with ribavirin is not advised because it can worsen anemia. Serious liver failure, sometimes fatal, has occurred in people with both infections receiving combination antiretroviral treatment and interferon alfa, with or without ribavirin. Immune reconstitution syndrome (an inflammatory response as the immune system recovers) and loss of body fat have been reported with combination antiretroviral treatment. Women with HIV should not breastfeed because HIV may be transmitted to the baby.
Interactions
Avoid taking Retrovir with stavudine or doxorubicin. Tell your doctor if you take medicines that suppress bone marrow or damage cells (cytotoxic medicines), as these may increase zidovudine’s harmful effects on blood cells.
Using Retrovir
Dosing
Dosing is set by your prescriber. Each health care professional may prescribe medication differently according to a patient's medical history and condition, so follow the directions on your prescription label and speak to your doctor or pharmacist before changing anything.
Storage
Store below 25°C in a dry place, in the original pack, away from direct light and moisture. Do not keep it in a bathroom. Keep all medicines out of the sight and reach of children.
Clinical information on this page is summarised from the US FDA label RETROVIR (ZIDOVUDINE) CAPSULE RETROVIR (ZIDOVUDINE) SOLUTION RETROVIR (ZIDOVUDINE) INJECTION, SOLUTION [VIIV HEALTHCARE COMPANY] (DailyMed, retrieved 19 September 2026).
Patient information and references
Official and supporting information to read alongside advice from your prescriber or pharmacist.
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