The way that a physician is able to tell if there is an adverse reaction to AZT in a patient that has acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is that they would be showing signs of anaemia or a very high red blood cell count. It has been known for a very long time that when there is a very high red blood cell count in a person it is usually a sign of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
If the AZT is not working or doing its job, this means that there will be deteriation of the cellular walls which in turns means wasting and the eventual fatal ending that comes with this most horrible of diseases. Most of all of the important levels that are monitored in these type patients are not effected by AZT so there is no need to be alarmed about that such as calcium and blood sugar levels.
So in the end, the best way to know if a person who is suffering from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is having a bad reaction to the medication AZT is the high amount of red blood cells that are present in the body.
1. red blood cell (rbc) count of 1.8 million/l-rationale: because anemia (characterized by a decrease in rbcs below 4.0 million/l) is a major adverse effect of zidovudine, the nurse should monitor the clients rbc count and assess for signs and symptoms of decreased cellular oxygenation. zidovudine doesnt affect the blood glucose level, serum calcium level, or platelet count and the values listed are within normal limits.\r\n\r\nclient needs category: physiological integrity\r\nclient needs subcategory: pharmacological and parenteral therapies\r\ncognitive level: analysis\r\n\r\nreference: karch, a.m. 2007 lippincotts nursing drug guide. philadelphia: lippincott williams & wilkins, 2007, p. 1224.
