NRTIs Zidovudine

Some ofthe classical antiviral drugs in HIV therapy are nucleoside derivatives, and they are called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). Zidovudine... 

The manufacturers of pyrimethamine note that the concurrent use of zidovudine may increase the risk of bone marrow depression. They say that if signs of folate deficiency develop, then pyrimethamine should be discontinued and folinie acid given. Note that the prophylactic use of a folate supplement, preferably folinie acid, is recommended for all patients with toxoplasmosis taking high-dose pyrimethamine, to reduce the risk of bone marrow suppression. See also NRTIs Zidovudine + Myelosup-pressive drugs , p.809... 

NRTIs Zidovudine + Drugs that inhibit glucuronidation... 

An in vitro study using human liver microsomes found that ethinylestradiol inhibited the glucuronidation of zidovudine by 50% or more, suggesting that ethinyloestradiol may increase the effects and toxicity of zidovudine. However, note that other drugs that had a similar effect in vitro did not alter zidovudine pharmacokinetics in subsequent clinical studies, see NRTIs Zidovudine + Drugs that inhibit glucuronidation , p.808. Further study is needed. 

At present there are seven NRTIs, which have been formally approved for the treatment of AIDS 3 -azido-2, 3 -dideoxythymidine (AZT, zidovudine), 2, 3 -dideoxyinosine (ddl, didanosine), 2, 3 -dideoxycytidine (ddC, zalcitabine), 2, 3 -didehydro-2, 3 -dideoxythymidine (d4T, stavudine), (—)-L-3 -thia-2, 3 -dideoxycytidine (3TC, lamivudine), cyclopentenyl V -cyclopropylaminopurine (abacavir, ABC), and (—)-L-5-fluoro-3 -thia-2, 3 -dideoxycytidine ((—)FTC, emtricitabine) (De Clercq 2004a) (Fig. 3). 

Triple NRTI therapy is recommended only when a first-line or alternative first-line therapy with either an NNRTI-based or Pi-based regimen cannot be used. Abacavir plus zidovudine plus lamivudine is the only regimen approved by the DHHS. The following triple nucleoside therapy combinations have shown poor or limited efficacy, and should be avoided abacavir plus tenofovir plus lamivudine (or emtricitabine), and didanosine plus tenofovir plus lamivudine (or emtricitabine). 

TC, lamivudine ABC, abacavir APV, amprenavir AST, aspartate aminotransferase ALT, alanine aminotransferase ATV, atazanavir CBC, complete blood cell count D/C, discontinue ddl, didano-sine d4T, stavudine EFV, efavirenz FTC, emtricitabine P1BV, hepatitis B virus F1CV, hepatitis C vims HIV, human immunodeficiency virus IDV, indinavir IV, intravenous LFT, liver function tests LPV/r, lopinavir + ritonavir NNRTI, nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor NRTI, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor NVP, nevirapine PI, protease inhibitor PT, prothrombin time T.bili, total bilirubin TDF, tenofovir disoproxiI fumarate TPV, tipranavir ULN, upper limit of normal ZDV, zidovudine. 

Drugs that may affect tipranavir include aluminum- and magnesium-based antacids, azole antifungals, clarithromycin, efavirenz, loperamide, NRTIs (ie, didanosine, zidovudine), rifamycins (rifampin), St. John s wort, tenofovir. 

Drugs that may be affected by peginterferon alfa-2a include theophylline, methadone, and NRTIs (eg, didanosine, zidovudine, stavudine). 

The present NRTIs available for the treatment of HIV are zidovudine (azidothymidine, AZT), stavu-dine (d4T), didanosine (ddl), lamivudine (3TC), dideoxycytidine (ddC, zalcitabine) and abacavir, emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil. Combination formulations are abcavir combined with zidovudine and lamivudine and the abacavir-lamivudine combination. 

Zidovudine (ZDV or AZT) is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) and it was the first anti-HIV agent to be introduced. Other NRTIs include stavudine (d4T), lamivudine (3TC), didano-sine (ddl), abacavir (ABC) and zalcitabine (ddC). Recent additions to this class are emtricitabine (FTC) which has a molecular structure similar to 3TC and tenofovir (TDF) a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor. 

The adverse effects with which stavudine is most frequently associated are headache, diarrhea, skin rash, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, anorexia, myalgia, and weakness. Peripheral neuropathy consisting of numbness, tingling, or pain in the hands or feet is also common with higher doses of the drug. Significant elevation of hepatic enzymes may be seen in approximately 10 to 15% of patients. Lactic acidosis occurs more frequently with stavudine than with other NRTIs. Viral resistance to stavudine may develop, and cross-resistance to zidovudine and didanosine may occur. 

Lamivudine is the best-tolerated NRTI. Its most common adverse effects include headache, malaise, fatigue, and insomnia. Pancreatitis is rare. Gastrointestinal complaints are common with lamivudine-zidovudine therapy but are probably mainly due to the zidovudine component. Lamivudine resistance sometimes occurs early in treatment. Cross-resistance to zal-citabine, didanosine, and abacavir can occur simultaneously. Withdrawal of lamivudine in patients infected with both hepatitis B virus and HIV can cause a flare-up of hepatitis symptoms. 

Zidovudine was the first agent to be used to prevent the transmission of HIV from a pregnant woman to her child. It was given to the mother at 14 to 34 weeks gestation and to the child for the first 6 weeks of life. Current combination therapies employ zidovudine with another NRTI and a protease inhibitor. 

C. Myelotoxicity is associated with certain NRTIs such as zidovudine. Fat redistribution, drug interactions involving CYP3A4, dyslipidemia, and diabetic symptoms are all side effects common to the protease inhibitors. 

NRTIs) abacavir sulfate didanosine (ddl) lamivudine (3TC) stavudine (d4T) zalcitabine (ddC) zidovudine (AZT)... 

All NRTIs may be associated with mitochondrial toxicity, probably owing to inhibition of mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma. Less commonly, lactic acidosis with hepatic steatosis may occur, which can be fatal. NRTI treatment should be suspended in the setting of rapidly rising aminotransferase levels, progressive hepatomegaly, or metabolic acidosis of unknown cause. The thymidine analogues zidovudine and stavudine may be particularly associated with dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. Also,... 

Antiretroviral nucleoside analogues have been associated with hepatic steatosis and lactic acidosis. These compounds require phosphorylation to active triphosphate derivatives by cellular phosphokinases. The triphosphate nucleotide inhibits the growing proviral DNA chain, but it also inhibits host DNA polymerases, and this can result in compensatory glycolysis and lactic acidosis. Abnormal mitochondrial oxidation of free fatty acids causes the accumulation of neutral fat in liver cells, and this manifests as hepatomegaly with macrovesicular steatosis. Hepatic steatosis and lactic acidosis have been reported previously with zidovudine, didanosine, zalcita-bine, Combivir (zidovudine plus lamivudine), and lamivudine. Of 349 Australian patients studied for 18 months (516 patient-years) taking NRTIs only two had severe lactic acidosis (847). 

Lipodystrophy is a common adverse effect of antiretroviral drugs, particularly the NRTIs and has been reported with zidovudine (1209). 

More recently, RTIs that are chemically distinct from zidovudine and other NRTIs have also been developed (see Table 34-3). These agents are known as nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNR-TIs), and include drugs such as delavirdine (Rescrip-tor), efavirenz (Sustiva), and nevirapine (Viramune).32 These drugs also inhibit the reverse transcriptase enzyme, but act at a different site on the enzyme than do their NRTI counterparts. 

Mechanism of Action. RTIs impair HIV replication by inhibiting the reverse transcriptase enzyme that is needed to convert viral RNA to viral DNA (Fig. 34-3). With regard to zidovudine and the other NRTIs, these agents enter viral-infected cells, where they are progressively phosphorylated (activated) by... 

TIs also inhibit the reverse transcriptase enzyme s ability to perform one of the initial steps in HIV replication. The NNRTIs, however, directly inhibit the active (catalytic) site on this enzyme, whereas zidovudine and other NRTIs serve as false substrates that take the place of the substance (thymidine) normally acted on by this enzyme (see Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors Mechanism of Action ). Hence, NNRTIs provide another way to impair one of the key steps in HIV replication, and these drugs can be used along with other agents (NRTIs, protease inhibitors) to provide optimal benefits in preventing HIV replication and proliferation (see the next section). 

At the present time, there are at least 14 compounds that have been formally approved for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections. There are six nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) that, after their intracellular conversion to the 5 -triphosphate form, are able to interfere as competitive inhibitors of the normal substrates (dNTPs). These are zidovudine (AZT), didanosine (ddl), zalcitabine (ddC), stavudine (d4T), lamivudine (3TC), and abacavir (ABC). There are three nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) — nevirapine, delavirdine, and efavirenz — that, as such, directly interact with the reverse transcriptase at a nonsubstrate binding, allosteric site. There are five HIV protease inhibitors (Pis saquinavir, ritonavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, and amprenavir) that block the cleavage of precursor to mature HIV proteins, thus impairing the infectivity of the virus particles produced in the presence of these inhibitors. 

Stavudine3 NRTI 30-40 mg bid, depending on weight Peripheral neuropathy, stomatitis Avoid concurrent neuropathic drugs ( eg, didanosine, zalcitabine, isoniazid) avoid concurrent use with zidovudine... 

A number of currently prescribed NRTIs are shown in Figure A.44. Compounds A.155 through A.158 are all analogues of pyrimidine nucleosides. Compounds A.159 and A.160 are both purine nucleoside analogues. Abacavir (Ziagen, A.160) is inactive until it is metabolized to carbovir (A.161) in vivo. The seven drugs in Figure A.44 were approved in the United States over a span of more than 25 years. Zidovudine reached the market first in 1987, and emtricitabine was the last to be approved in 2003. The steady release... 

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