AZT

Medical abbreviation · Drug

AZT stands for Azidothymidine (zidovudine), a drug abbreviation.

First antiretroviral drug for HIV, approved by the FDA in 1987. Today it is used mainly to prevent mother-to-child transmission, given IV during labor and as oral prophylaxis to newborns.

Example: Infant ZDV (AZT) 4 mg/kg PO BID x 4-6 weeks after birth.

Usage notes

The preferred abbreviation is now ZDV. ISMP lists AZT as error-prone because it has been confused with azathioprine and aztreonam. Early high-dose AZT monotherapy caused severe anemia; its role changed after combination therapy arrived in 1996. Zidovudine was originally synthesized in 1964 as a potential cancer drug.

Related abbreviations

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• AZA – Azathioprine
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This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.