The modern drug used for inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract in order to thin the sputum and facilitate its excretion from the bronchi is called Ambroxol. How this medication so favorably differs from its counterparts, in what forms it is produced, and also how to take it correctly - all of this will be discussed below.
Release form
The medicine "Ambroxol" is produced and subsequently sold in the following form:
- Tablets.
- Solution for inhalation.
- Syrup.
- Ampoules for intravenous or intramuscular administration.
The active ingredient in each form of release is Ambroxol hydrochloride.
Indications for use
The drug "Ambroxol" for children, the instruction to which states that the medicine should be taken to treat respiratory ailments developing with sputum production, is prescribed for such diagnoses:
- Pneumonia.
- Bronchial asthma.
- Cystic fibrosis.
- Bronchitis.
- Diseases of the nasal cavity, pharynx - laryngitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis, rhinitis.
The medicine "Ambroxol" for children is considered one of the most famous mucolytics.
Use of tablets
Pills should be taken while eating and washed down with water. The medicine "Ambroxol", analogues of which can be found in any pharmacy, in the form of tablets is used only by adults. Women and men are prescribed orally by 1 pill (30 mg) 2 or 3 times a day. With prolonged treatment - 1 tablet 3 times a day. For children, this form of drug release is unacceptable.
Means "Ambroxol": application. Syrup for babies
Young children should be given medicine in a suitable form - in the form of a sweet liquid. The dosage of the Ambroxol preparation, the analogues of which can be obtained from your doctor or pharmacist, is as follows:
- Up to 2 years - 2.5 ml twice a day.
- From 2 to 5 years - 2.5 ml three times a day.
- From 5 years old - 5 ml 3 times a day are taken with Ambroxol.
Syrup, the analogues of which are several times more expensive, the kids drink great, as it is pleasant to taste and aromatic. Therefore, parents do not need to worry when buying medicine in this form: the child can easily swallow the medicine.
Ampoules for drug administration
The Ambroxol medication, the analogues of which cannot boast of such a variety of release forms, in the form of a solution for injection can be prescribed for both adults and children. The dosage of the drug is as follows:
- For babies up to 2 years - half an ampoule twice a day.
- Children from 2 to 5 years old - ½ of the contents of the bottle three times a day.
- Boys and girls over 5 years old - 1 ampoule 2-3 times a day.
- Adults - 2-3 ampoules 2-3 times a day.
1 ampoule contains 15 mg of Ambroxol.
What happens when a drug enters the body?
When the tablets or syrup reach the gastrointestinal tract, the active substance will begin to be rapidly absorbed into the blood. The action of the drug "Ambroxol" begins after half an hour and lasts from 5 to 12 hours. Withdrawal of the drug occurs through the kidneys, so people suffering from chronic renal failure may experience an increase in the time they take the drug out of the body. A certain amount of the drug can be found in breast milk, but its concentration will be so small that it will not affect the baby's body.
Inhalation of the drug
The use of Ambroxol solution for inhalation is permissible with the help of a modern nebulizer. For an inhalation measure, mix 2 ml of the drug with the same amount of sodium chloride, and then warm to room temperature.
Means "Ambroxol" for inhalation is recommended for children over 5 years old. For kids, it is better to use syrup. This inhalation measure should be taken 2 times a day.
During inhalation, the child should sit upright, breathe calmly and deeply. Talking is prohibited. If a boy or a girl does everything correctly, then the Ambroxol product - a solution used for various diagnoses - goes directly to the focus of inflammation without problems, which significantly increases its effectiveness, and the child quickly recovers.
Pregnancy
For women during the period of gestation, this drug is contraindicated only in the first trimester. In the following months of pregnancy, it is permissible to prescribe it, while you need to keep in mind the benefits of the medicine for the mother and the possible risks to the developing fetus.
Side effects
The medicine "Ambroxol" for children poses absolutely no danger - the product is not toxic, it is well tolerated by babies. Undesirable effects occur very rarely, and if they are, they are expressed as follows:
diarrhea
- nausea, vomiting;
- general weakness;
- headache;
- itching, urticaria.
Such symptoms can occur with prolonged uncontrolled intake of the drug. They can also be observed in people who have intolerance to some component that is part of the tablets, syrup or solution.
The drug "Ambroxol" for children, the instructions for which are necessarily included in the package with the medication, must be taken only under the supervision of a pediatrician. This is mostly true for babies up to 1 year old. After all, only a specialist can calculate the correct dose of syrup for crumbs.
Overdose
If a person took the medicine not according to the scheme, did not take into account the doctor’s recommendations, drank the drug in high doses, then, naturally, he may have problems. An overdose of the drug is most often characterized by vomiting and diarrhea. In this case, you should definitely seek help from a specialist. Treatment often goes like this: vomiting is caused, the stomach is washed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then activated charcoal or Enterosgel is taken. It is best if these measures are taken promptly - 1 or 2 hours after taking the drug in a high dose.
The drug "Ambroxol": analogues
This medication, which is not so advertised (why, we will explain later), has many similar remedies. However, such drugs as Lazolvan, Ambrobene, Ambrohexal, and Mucolvan are considered the most common. These medicines are more expensive, but their mechanism of action is the same.
Now it’s worth answering the question: “Why is the medicine Ambroxol not so widely advertised as its analogues?” The answer is actually quite simple and, probably, many will find it clear. The fact is that this medication is 3-4 times cheaper than its counterparts. And it’s more profitable for pharmacists to sell a drug that is more expensive at a cost, so that there is more profit. And why invest a lot of money in advertising means that cost a penny? Therefore, it is not so advertised, although people know about it, its effect and attractive value to the buyer.
Popular substitute
The medicine "Lazolvan" (an analogue of "Ambroxol") is the most affordable drug after the article is devoted to. Tablets or syrup of this remedy effectively dilute sputum, facilitate its excretion from the bronchi. The main substance of the drug "Lazolvan" is Ambroxol hydrochloride, in the same way as in the medicine "Ambroxol".
Both medicines are absolutely identical in effect, but their price is significantly different. 20 Ambroxol tablets cost 30 rubles, and Lazolvan pills cost 250 rubles. And in the pack exactly 20 tablets are in the same way. Syrup "Lazolvan" in a volume of 100 ml costs 200 rubles, and in the same volume "Ambroxol" - only 70 rubles. The difference in money is palpable, why then overpay? After all, you can just buy the drug "Ambroxol" for children, and for the money saved, buy vitamins for the child, especially since during the illness the children especially need fresh vegetables and fruits.
The medicine "Ambrobene"
This medication can also replace the well-known Ambroxol. Analogs for children are also needed simply because not all children can use this or that drug in composition. Although the active substance is the same everywhere, but the auxiliary components may differ, thereby they can cause the appearance of some negative manifestations. Most often, the medicine "Ambrobene" is purchased in the form of a syrup. The therapeutic effect of both drugs is the same: they make sputum less thick and stimulate a cough reflex. Despite a similar mechanism of action, medications differ in auxiliary components, which must be taken into account when choosing one or another remedy. The cost of Ambrobene syrup is lower, for example, than the Lazolvan medicine in the same form of release. However, it is still inferior in price to Ambroxol. So, for Ambrobene syrup with a volume of 100 ml, you will have to pay about 150 rubles. At the same time, for the exact same packaging of the Ambroxol medicine, the pharmacist will ask, as we have already mentioned, only 70 rubles. The difference is 2 times. But still, it is safe to say that any of these two medicines is better, it is 100% impossible, since both have their own side effects. Therefore, when choosing a drug, you should seek the help of a doctor, especially if the child is prone to allergic reactions.
What to choose: Ambroxol or Bromhexine tablets?
Bromhexine pills are also a mucolytic agent, which is often used in the treatment of various ailments associated with the respiratory system. However, which of the two is still better? The active substance of the Ambroxol medication is Ambroxol hydrochloride, a substance that is a synthetic substitute for vasicin alkaloid. Moreover, the effect of the medicine is one step higher than that of Bromhexine tablets. Also, Ambroxol pills are better tolerated by patients, the drug has almost no contraindications, and side effects develop very rarely. The only thing that is common to both medicines is the price, which is approximately at the same level.
Chemistry or not?
This question is asked by many patients, especially those who prefer only natural, herbal remedies. In fact, the situation is such that the drug Ambroxol is half a chemical drug, since it was synthesized in the laboratory using chemicals. And on the other hand, the medication is an analogue of the plant alkaloid. Therefore, the medicine cannot be called completely chemical or herbal. But if you compare the drug "Ambroxol" with another popular cough remedy - Ascoril syrup, the first one will definitely have a greater affinity for herbal medicines. Therefore, the choice is obvious: it is better to buy a more natural product than a chemical one.
Now you know that the medicine "Ambroxol" is an excellent tool in the treatment of various ailments associated with impaired excretion of sputum from the bronchi and lungs. They determined that there are plenty of forms of release of this drug: it can be bought in the form of a solution, syrup, tablets, ampoules for injection. In general, to whom it is convenient and as prescribed by the attending physician. This remedy has many analogues, but they have one main drawback - the price is too high compared to the Ambroxol medication. Although they are no different in efficiency. Therefore, it is not worth overpaying, but it is better if necessary to buy our domestic drug, and not its foreign counterpart.