Zidovudine: What It Is, How It Works, and What You Need to Know

When you hear zidovudine, a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor used to treat HIV infection. Also known as AZT, it was the first drug approved to slow down HIV and is still used today in combination therapies. It doesn’t cure HIV, but it stops the virus from copying itself inside your cells—giving your immune system a fighting chance.

Zidovudine works by tricking the virus into using it as building material. When HIV tries to replicate, it grabs zidovudine instead of the real DNA pieces it needs. That stops the virus from making new copies. It’s part of a group called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, a class of antiretroviral drugs that block HIV’s ability to turn its RNA into DNA. This group includes drugs like lamivudine and tenofovir, which are often mixed with zidovudine to make treatment stronger and reduce resistance.

People taking zidovudine often combine it with other antiretroviral drugs, medications designed to suppress HIV at different stages of its life cycle. This combo approach is the standard today because single drugs quickly become useless as the virus mutates. Zidovudine is especially common in pregnant women with HIV—it cuts the chance of passing the virus to the baby by more than half. It’s also used in emergency cases after possible exposure, like needlestick injuries.

But it’s not without risks. Some users get serious side effects like anemia, muscle weakness, or liver damage. These aren’t common, but they’re real. That’s why doctors monitor blood counts and liver function regularly. Many people switch to newer drugs with fewer side effects, but zidovudine still matters because it’s cheap, stable, and works well when other options aren’t available.

You’ll find posts here that dig into how zidovudine compares with other HIV drugs, what the real-world side effects look like, and how it fits into modern treatment plans. Some articles talk about its role in preventing mother-to-child transmission. Others compare it to newer options like tenofovir or emtricitabine. There’s also coverage on how it’s used in resource-limited settings where cost and availability matter more than brand names.

This isn’t just a history lesson. Zidovudine is still in use today—by millions of people around the world. Whether you’re a patient, a caregiver, or just trying to understand how HIV treatment works, knowing how this drug fits into the bigger picture helps you make smarter choices. Below, you’ll see real posts from people who’ve lived with it, doctors who’ve prescribed it, and researchers who’ve studied its impact. No fluff. Just what you need to know.