Certified Coding Associate (CCA) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The condition likely to be listed in the discharge summary if a physician prescribes Retrovir is AIDS. Retrovir, known generically as zidovudine, is an antiretroviral medication used primarily to treat HIV infection, which is the virus that can lead to AIDS. When a patient is diagnosed with AIDS or is at significant risk of developing AIDS due to HIV infection, physicians often prescribe antiretroviral medications to manage and control the virus, thereby improving the patient’s health and prolonging life.

In contrast, conditions such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease do not involve the use of Retrovir as a treatment. These conditions are managed with entirely different medications and therapeutic strategies unrelated to antiretroviral therapy. Therefore, the presence of Retrovir in a patient's medication list in the discharge summary serves as a strong indicator of a diagnosis related to HIV/AIDS.