Bronchial asthma usually occurs with the development of exacerbations and remissions. To stop the attack, quite a few drugs are created. One of the most commonly used remedies is Salbutamol. Reviews about it are mostly positive, which allows us to judge its high efficiency. What is this drug?
What is this medicine?
"Salbutamol" is a drug used to relieve asthma attacks, as well as shortness of breath in the initial stages of COPD.
This medicine is a synthetic beta-2 adrenergic receptor agonist. It has a specific effect on these structures (located in the bronchi).
Salbutamol for inhalation is on the list of medicines used to provide emergency medical care.
It is produced primarily in the form of an aerosol. When you press the valve, a single dose of the drug is released, which is usually enough to stop an attack of shortness of breath.
Currently, in pharmacies it is not always possible to purchase pure Salbutamol. Its analogues are much more common, however, doctors prescribe mainly the usual drug.
What effect does this medicine have, and why is it so appreciated by both patients and doctors?
Pharmacological effect
As mentioned above, "Salbutamol" has a specific effect on beta-2-adrenergic receptors, located in large numbers in the mucous membrane of the bronchi.
By contacting these structures, the drug helps to relax the smooth muscles located under the mucous membrane. Due to this, the spasm is eliminated and the bronchi expand.
There is also a stimulation of the ciliated epithelium lining the surface of the bronchi, resulting in improved synthesis and discharge of sputum from the respiratory tract, as well as their cleaning of foreign bodies.
What other effects does Salbutamol have? Its analogs can have some effect on pancreatic cells. Due to this, there is an increase in blood sugar concentration (in patients with diabetes this is extremely important, since the use of the drug can contribute to a significant deterioration in the condition and the development of hyperglycemic or ketoacidotic coma).
In addition, when using the drug "Salbutamol" there is a decrease in the concentration of potassium in the blood plasma.
Indications
In what cases can Salbutamol be prescribed (including analogues)? The main purpose of using this drug is to relieve an attack of bronchial asthma. The medication is prescribed for a mild form of this disease as a single drug, as well as for a disease of moderate severity in combination with some other means.
In addition, the described medicine can be used at a high risk of developing bronchial obstruction syndrome in case of allergies of any genesis (if there are no disturbances in the function of external respiration and the diagnosis of asthma is not made).
In older patients, Salbutamol can also be used to stop shortness of breath in chronic bronchitis or emphysema. Analogues of the drug should be prescribed only after agreement with the attending physician, since they do not exclude the presence of additional components that can cause the development of complications.
In rare cases, Salbutamol can be used to prevent premature births and miscarriages (it is proven that beta-2 adrenergic receptors are also present in the uterus).
Contraindications
Despite the large number of effects that develop when taking Salbutamol, there are contraindications to its use. In what cases can not be prescribed "Salbutamol" (aerosol)? Instructions for use of the drug describe the following conditions:
- Children's age up to 4 years. In no case should you prescribe an inhaled form of the drug to children, since there is a high risk of developing arrhythmia.
- Individual intolerance to the drug. It is quite rare. Instead of Salbutamol, such patients are shown to receive inhaled glucocorticoids.
- Heart rhythm disturbances . The use of the drug in these conditions contributes to the aggravation of the disease up to the point that arrhythmia becomes non-stopable.
- Decompensated diabetes
- Parallel use of non-selective (acting on all beta-adrenergic receptors) blockers (the effect of both drugs is inhibited).
Side effect
The main paradox in pharmacology is that no matter what the drug is, taking it in one way or another will cause the development of side effects. Salbutamol (aerosol) is no exception. Analogues of a medication, depending on their structure, may not have one or another negative effect.
What are the side effects of taking Salbutamol and its synonyms? First of all, the development of tremor (trembling) in the limbs should be noted.
When exposed to the cardiovascular system, the development of effects such as tachycardia (increased heart rate), arrhythmia, expansion of the vessels of the brain (in general, is a positive effect, since it improves its blood supply, however, is a significant danger in cases of suspected intracranial hemorrhage, since contributes to an increase in the size of the hematoma). Quincke's edema, dizziness, and vomiting are much less likely to develop.
With frequent use of the drug, tolerance to it may develop (i.e., the proper clinical effect will not develop, as a result of which a dose increase is required).
Overdose
In some cases, an overdose may develop (with non-compliance and an increase in recommended doses). How is this manifested?
First of all, symptoms of overexcitation of the central nervous system arise. These include a pronounced excited state of the patient, seizures are possible.
The greater effect of "Salbutamol" is manifested on the organs of the cardiovascular system. In case of an overdose, tachycardia of more than 140 strokes is possible (which can lead to the development of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation), an increase in blood pressure. Against the background of an accelerated rhythm, atrial or ventricular flutter often develops, which is a life-threatening condition and requires emergency medical intervention.
An overdose of "Salbutamol" is dangerous for patients with diabetes mellitus, since it contributes to an increase in the concentration of glucose in the blood, which can lead to the development of a hyperglycemic coma in a diabetic.
Analogs
Like any other drug, Salbutamol can be found on drugstore shelves under completely different names. This is due to the fact that many companies, in order to earn money, produce and patent their own product, although it is based on the same Salbutamol. Synonyms and analogues of the drug are quite common, so you should know about what can be purchased and what is undesirable.
What medicines do Salbutamol include? The most famous drugs are Aloprol, Ventokol, Volmaks, Salben and many others.
Each of these products is available in a specific form and contains a different concentration of the main active substance. They have their indications and contraindications for use, but they are almost always similar in action to the main drug.
What are the advantages of analogues over the original medication, how do they work and how can they differ?
Inhalation preparations
The main analogue preparations of Salbutamol for inhalation use are Ventolin Salbutamol, Salamol, Salbutamol-Teva. All of them are available in different countries and have their own dosage.
"Ventolin" is produced in two main forms - a solution for inhalation and aerosol. Such countries as Germany, Great Britain and France are engaged in the production of this drug. The cost of drugs practically does not differ from each other - the average price is about 200 rubles. For 120-130 rubles you can buy the usual "Salbutamol". The prescription must be obtained from a doctor, since without it the drug cannot be sold.
"Salamol" as an inhaled form of the drug is more expensive (on average about 400 rubles), but if you study the numerous reviews about this tool, the price justifies itself.
"Salbutamol-Teva" of all these medicines is the optimal ratio of price and quality. It is worth the drug as usual, domestic production, but somewhat more effective than the original.
Tablet form
Salbutamol tablets are used much less frequently than aerosol. This is due to the fact that during an attack, when a spasm of the respiratory tract occurs, it is quite difficult to swallow a pill. Therefore, such drugs are used more for prophylactic purposes than for therapeutic purposes.
Among the tablet forms, Salbutamol hemisuccinate, Salgim, Cibutol cyclocaps, Saltox were most widely used.
As with aerosol, these pills require written permission from a doctor to take Salbutamol. The prescription is issued either by the attending physician or by a pulmonologist in the hospital department.
In addition to preventing an attack of bronchial asthma, these pills are often used in order to get rid of excess body weight. Tablets contribute to the acceleration of metabolism, due to which their effect develops. With care, they should be used for hypertensive patients, taking into account possible side effects and overdose effects.
Restrictions on the use of the drug "Salbutamol" and its analogues
Some forms of medication have been banned or discontinued. These drugs include Salbutamol Semashko. Analogs are issued at the present time, however, the medication itself is discontinued and is not allowed for use.
This medicine was banned due to the fact that, as a result of production in an aerosol, in addition to a pure product, some other volatile substances were also contained - chlorofluorocarbons, which, when released into the atmosphere, contributed to the destruction of the ozone layer and the formation of ozone holes. Because of this, the Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology was ordered not to release Salbutamol Semashko anymore. The analogues of the drug do not contain CFCs, so there are no restrictions on their production and use.
There is a restriction on the use of the drug in sports, as Salbutamol is recognized as a dope in some of its forms. Asthmatic athletes may have permission to use it, while others are not allowed to use this tool.
Reviews
What do they say about the analogues of "Salbutamol"? It is proved that for some people the drug is better, for others it is worse, for others it does not produce any effect at all. So how to choose the most appropriate Salbutamol for the particular patient? Testimonials about drugs can greatly help in this.
Factors such as age and gender should be considered. For example, drugs with a small dosage of the active substance help women well, while men may not be enough. That is why it will be necessary to focus on reviews about treatment with this drug.
In rare cases, feedback can be negative. The drug does not always help in stopping the attack, however, many pharmaceutical companies try to carefully monitor and timely eliminate the shortcomings of such drugs.
Basically, all patients speak good-naturedly enough about the drug that helped them. Based on this, we can conclude that both pure Salbutamol and its analogues are quite effective.
Should I buy this drug?
This question was probably asked by every person who has an established diagnosis of bronchial asthma.
Many have the opinion that domestic drugs are poorly effective, and preference should be given to foreign funds. According to the majority, it is better to purchase a foreign substitute for Salbutamol, which is supposedly better and more effective.
In some cases, this theory is confirmed, since some pharmaceutical companies are quite reverent about the purification of their preparations, due to which their therapeutic effect improves. But it is safe to say that our products are no different in quality from foreign ones. Therefore, when buying a foreign substitute for Salbutamol, the patient often overpays for the brand name, although he could buy the usual medication for the same money and use it much longer.
Which drug is better?
Due to the variety of tools it is difficult to make a choice, which tool is better. Doctors most often write simply the following on prescription forms: Salbutamol for inhalation. That is why there is confusion with the analogues of the drug when a clean aerosol is not available.
We can only say one thing: you need to try a few of the proposed options in order to decide for yourself - it is better to buy a pure drug or still take some substitute for "Salbutamol". The difference is only known by comparison, however, as practice shows, most patients still prefer pure Salbutamol. If it comes to its analogues, then Ventolin will most likely be the best substitute, as it is considered somewhat more effective and has fewer side effects.
Given that asthma drugs are sold only with a prescription, it is best to consult your doctor and ask him to prescribe a specific medication.