Question

A patient is being treated with combination antiviral drugs for HIV and locally active antiviral drugs that include zidovudine and acyclovir. The student is preparing a 5-minute presentation on antiviral agents for clinical preconference. The student has to prepare medication information about the antiviral medications that are being administered to the client. (Learning Objectives 2, 3, and 5)

What are the key characteristics of common viral infections?

What are the common adverse effects of zidovudine?

What key nursing considerations should the nurse focus on for the patient receiving a locally active antiviral agent?

Answer 1

Answer: The common viral infection shows symptoms such as flu, cold cough, chicken pox, rashes etc. Virus can attack body's part or the organ and make it more prone to many other diseases.

The most common adverse effects of zidovudine are fatigue, lethargy, vomiting, nausea, insomnia, discoloration of nails etc.

The key considerations for taking this antiviral agent is that this medicine should be taken after the meals to reduce the side effects. Taking small meals throughout the day may prevent from weakness. Avoiding spicy foods as well as junk foods may also increases the effect of medicine and improvements in the health. Drug interactions should be avoided by not taking the two medicine together. Nurse should monitor the patient as it may also cause damage to the bone marrow which leads to the patient become anemic.