(ATDN) Report on AZT's Possible Side Effects


(ATDN) Report on AZT's Possible Side Effects

Treatment Review No. 11; April 1994

The most common type of research is the kind that asks a question before a study begins. This helps to show that the results of a study did not just happen by chance, and that it is the drug being tested that is responsible for the good - or bad - effects people in the study experience. Some studies - called retrospective studies - look back at information over time. One method is by reviewing medical records.

A group of researchers conducted a retrospective study of AZT. While AZT was recognized as a treatment that can delay the development of some of the symptoms of AIDS, it also increases the likelihood that side effects will occur. Even people who respond well to AZT can experience these side effects, although not everyone does. In this study, researchers concluded that side effects resulting from the use of AZT may outweigh the benefits of taking AZT. The researchers concluded that waiting to take AZT until the disease progresses is a reasonable choice for some people, although other people would be willing to take the chance of having side effects if they also benefited from using the drug.

The decision to take any drug is difficult. Some of the most important and urgent questions about medical care focus on what effect treatment will have on someone's quality of life. Will the treatment make you feel miserable, even if it does work? How long will you have to take the drug? Questions like these are important questions to ask before starting to take any treatment. Remember, even once you start, you can always continue to collect and make use of new information as it becomes available.


940401
ATR01107

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeard in 1994. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

Copyright © 1994 - AIDS Treatment Data Network. If you want to copy, reproduce or excerpt this information, please give us a call at (800) 734-7104. This helps up to keep track of where and how this information is being used. You can also Email us at network@atdn.org  http://206.179.124.69/network/index.html

This information is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
©1994. AEGIS.