Essential: contraindications, side effects, analogues

The nutritional style of modern man leaves much to be desired. An unscrupulous manufacturer often adds palm oil, stale meat, low-quality milk powder, and more to inexpensive products. Similar examples can be cited endlessly, but the saddest thing is that improper nutrition and eating poor-quality foods negatively affects the condition of the liver. Fatty degeneration of the cells of this organ develops, as well as a number of other diseases that somehow lead to cirrhosis over time.

"Essential" is a modern drug to restore the normal functioning of the liver. Take it should be a long course. Of course, Essentiale has both contraindications and side effects. Despite this, the drug is one of the best and relatively inexpensive hepatoprotectors today.

What are hepatoprotectors and are they really effective?

The pharmacological class of drugs that can, to one degree or another, improve liver function, is called hepatoprotectors. Currently, these drugs are in great demand among the population, because the incidence of liver disease is increasing. You can classify the entire set of hepatoprotectors into two large groups:

• synthetic origin, i.e. produced in the laboratory (phospholipids, amino acid derivatives, bile acids);
• of plant origin, that is, homeopathic preparations of plant and animal origin (it should be noted that even in the manufacture of the most environmentally friendly preparations, their ingredients are still subjected to minimal chemical treatment).

In the medical world, there is still debate about the effectiveness of hepatoprotectors: studies on the effectiveness of drugs do not satisfy the inquiring minds of specialists from medicine and pharmacology. The human liver is an organ with a truly fantastic ability to regenerate, because many doctors attribute the "effectiveness" of hepatoprotectors to the organ’s ability to self-repair. Thus, a person taking the medicine and adjusting his diet is sure that the subsequent improvement in clinical results is associated with the hepatoprotector. But in fact, the liver cells went through the natural cycle and self-healing.

Disputes on the effectiveness of phospholipid hepatoprotectors

The situation is completely different if the patient has already been diagnosed. Fibrosis, fatty degeneration, toxic or viral hepatitis, or even a pre-cirrhosis state - all these ailments directly threaten the body's vital functions. Sooner or later, all liver diseases in the absence of treatment and without changing the patient’s lifestyle lead to the development of cirrhosis. And this is a fatal disease that quickly and inevitably takes the lives of the patient. To prevent deterioration, you should drink all the medicines prescribed by your doctor, despite possible contraindications.

Essentiale is one of the most popular hepatoprotectors at the moment. Its effect is due to the presence of phospholipids in the composition. Pharmacists, when creating the drug, built a simple logical chain: knowing that the membranes of the cells are destroyed in the liver with a particular disease, you need to “fit” these phospholipids so that they fit into the gaps in the cell wall. Thus, organ restoration occurs due to cell restoration.

But is it really so, have studies been conducted on the ability of phospholipids to repair liver cells? And what is Essential - a medicine or just a dietary supplement without a proven healing effect? This drug is a medicine registered in the state registry according to all necessary standards. The pharmaceutical company manufactures Essentiale according to the relevant legislation of the standards for medicines (in particular, production, quality control and effectiveness).

The arguments of doctors and pharmacists who consider taking Essentiale unnecessary, and the drug is not appropriate for its cost, are as follows:

• When phospholipids (the main active component of Essentiale, the contraindications to which are directly related to the body’s reaction to phospholipid metabolites) enter the body, they do not concentrate in the liver, but are carried by the bloodstream throughout the body, resulting in no tangible benefits.
• In the United States, a statistical study was conducted in which alcohol drinkers who were already old and who experienced initial changes in the direction of fatty degeneration of the body, participated. So, one test group was given drugs with phospholipids, the other group was not. As a result, in both groups there was an equal number of patients whose blood composition and liver condition improved. The key factor was the rejection of alcohol, rather than taking hepatoprotector.
• The manufacturer Essentiale, the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi, exports 99% of the drug to the territory of the Russian Federation, as well as of the former USSR countries. Other countries are not interested in purchasing this drug using more advanced methods of treating liver diseases. In addition, contraindications and side effects of Essential Forte, Essential N and other varieties of the drug often complicate the life of the patient.

Causes of development and symptoms of liver diseases

Why do these or other liver pathologies develop?

The reasons, as a rule, are very banal and even with different degrees of liver damage are the same:

• regular alcohol abuse;
• the use of narcotic toxic substances (it does not matter, intravenously or nasally, or orally - the liver experiences a heavy load in any case);
• forced or intentional use of hepatotoxic drugs;
• chemo and radiotherapy;
• violation of the outflow of bile. as well as some other serious diseases of the digestive tract;
• malnutrition over a long period of time (often fatty degeneration of the liver begins after decades of malnutrition, which is accompanied by obesity, diabetes, etc.).

The composition and release form of the drug "Essential"

At the moment, there are four forms of release of the drug:

• "Essential" - capsules.
• "Essential N" - ampoules with a solution for intravenous administration.
• "Essential Forte" - capsules with the addition of cyanocobalamin, riboflavin, thiamine, pyridoxine and nicotinamide.
• "Essential Forte N" - capsules, which do not contain 250 mg of phospholipids, but 300 mg.

What is their difference between themselves? Dosage forms "Essential", in the name of which the letter "H" is added, in their composition contain exclusively phospholipids and additional excipients for the normal storage of capsules and preservation of their medicinal properties. A variety of drugs without the letter “H” in the name as active substances contains not only phospholipids, but also vitamins, which help to avoid a deficiency of those substances that are also necessary for the liver to perform its functions.

The amount of active substance is 250 mg per ampoule. Essential phospholipids can be taken both by prescription and independently. Before you start taking it, it is optimal to do an ultrasound scan or go through other studies to accurately judge the clinical picture. After that, you can choose the best hepatoprotector with a minimum of contraindications and side effects.

Essential at the cost of the cheapest (about a thousand rubles per pack with 60 capsules). Essential Forte is a little more expensive, as it contains quite a lot of vitamins and the patient can save on the purchase of an additional vitamin complex. Vitamins of group B, which are part of Essential Forte, have a positive effect not only on the speed of recovery of liver cells, but also on the whole organism. An additional content of vitamins is a definite plus of Essential Forte. Contraindications and side effects are in no way associated with the presence of vitamins of group B and tocopherol in the composition. In extremely rare cases, the patient may develop an allergic reaction to these components.

Indications for the use of hepatoprotector

Regardless of the form of release, the drug is effective in the following cases:

• hepatitis of both toxic and viral origin (as part of complex therapy);
• alcohol toxic liver damage;
• fatty degeneration of the liver due to malnutrition or endocrine diseases (diabetes mellitus, etc.);
• necrosis of liver cells of various etiologies;
• liver failure, cirrhotic condition;
• the period of preparation before surgery on the gallbladder, liver, bile ducts (in this case, the drug is usually used in liquid form for intravenous administration);
• restoration of the liver after a long course of taking toxic drugs, after chemotherapy;
• an increase in the blood indicator, which indicates an abnormal concentration of low density lipoproteins;
• an increase in cholesterol in a biochemical blood test;
• toxicosis during pregnancy, hepatic skin itching in pregnant women;
• prevention of gallstones and problems with the outflow of bile;
• psoriasis, atopic dermatitis (treatment is carried out under the supervision of a hepatologist and dermatologist).

Do not forget that the drug has contraindications.

The use of Essential Forte is slightly wider than the standard form of release of the drug. Due to the presence of group B vitamins, the drug helps to restore the nervous system (this is especially true for those whose liver is damaged due to alcohol abuse or psychotropic drugs). Against the background of admission, the patient becomes calmer, skin itching, sleep is getting better. However, unlike the usual Essential, the list of contraindications to Essential Fort also includes individual intolerance to B vitamins. Before you start taking any form of the drug, you should carefully study the instructions and consult a doctor.

Contraindications

Since there are several forms of release, the instructions for each drug are separate. When buying, you should pay attention to which one you are buying "Essential". Contraindications and indications for admission, by and large, are similar. However, there are slight differences in the instructions, which for some patients can be fatal. For example, injection is prohibited for some categories of patients, while for other people this method of use is the only acceptable one.

Contraindications to the use of "Essential Forte N":

1. An allergic reaction or other form of intolerance to cyanocobalamin, riboflavin, thiamine, nicotinamide, tocopherol and any auxiliary components that are included.
2. Children under 12 years old are a direct contraindication. Essential Forte N contains too much phospholipid for the child's body.
3. In acute pancreatitis, capsule administration is best stopped, as the whole body is impaired and phospholipid intake may aggravate the situation in some cases.
4. With internal bleeding, prem is also possible only after the approval of the attending physician. The acute abdomen referred to in medicine is also a contraindication. Essential Forte N can both aggravate and improve the condition. For example, ascites - whether to take capsules with it, can only be decided by the attending physician. Any mistake can be fatal to the patient’s life.
5. The period of breastfeeding (while studies have shown that taking during pregnancy is safe for both the woman and the fetus). Phospholipids pass into breast milk, which is why lactation is a contraindication. Essential Forte N is an excellent choice for the treatment of toxicosis and hepatic skin itching in pregnant women. But with breastfeeding, you will have to forget about the drug.

Of course, the drug in the form of release for intravenous administration also has a number of contraindications. Essential N is administered intravenously by drip or drip. As a rule, in a hospital setting. For home use, there are capsules that have fewer contraindications. Essential N should not be used in the following cases:

• suspected internal bleeding;
• children's age up to 3 years (the amount of injected solution can be easily controlled, so the age threshold is lower than for capsules);
• the condition of the "acute abdomen" - only in a hospital, under the supervision of medical personnel;
• period of breastfeeding;
• individual intolerance to phospholipids;
• ascites state, period of delirium tremens, period of acute poisoning with narcotic substances or alcohol.

Before choosing a hepatoprotector, you should carefully read the instructions. As mentioned above, regardless of the form of release, the drug has approximately the same contraindications. Essentiale is Vitamin Free. This is the only difference. Otherwise, the instruction almost completely repeats that of the drug "Essential Forte N".

Side effects

Contraindications are often closely associated with side effects. As a rule, if you follow the dosage and rules of administration, then side effects are not observed. You can not take the drug at your own peril and risk if there are contraindications.

1. Essential Forte N lowers blood pressure in individuals prone to hypotension. In case of an overdose, arrhythmia, tachycardia can be observed. Digestion is possible, especially in the first days of admission. Since vitamins are included in the composition, allergic reactions may occur: skin rash, dermatitis, increased lacrimation. Before use, carefully read the list of contraindications.
2. Side effects of "Essential" and "Essential Fort N" - mild nausea, upset stool. as a rule, such a reaction can be observed in the first days of admission. However, many patients note that they generally do not feel any discomfort. People with a tendency to hypotension need to monitor their condition, since phospholipids in relatively rare cases can lower blood pressure.
3. Side effects of Essential N are due to the fact that the drug, when injected, enters directly into the blood. The patient's response can be unpredictable - sometimes people complain of hot flashes, sweating, a feeling of warmth in the limbs. However, in most cases, everything goes away without any discomfort.

Drug interaction

It is important to follow the rules of drug interaction when taking Essential. Contraindications and side effects are important points in the instructions for the drug, but drug interactions cannot be ignored.

1. Capsules and intravenous solution can interact with anticoagulants (blood thinners), enhancing their effects. Therefore, with the simultaneous use of these drugs, the dosage of the anticoagulant should be reduced.
2. When taken simultaneously with psychoactive drugs (antidepressants, tranquilizers, normotimics, antipsychotics), phospholipids can partially interfere with their action, making them more quickly excreted from the body.
3. When taken with tetracycline antibiotics, the therapeutic effect of the latter may also be less pronounced.

Essentials Analog List

Contraindications to taking the drug can cause the patient to go in search of another high-quality hepatoprotector. The modern pharmacological market offers the following effective hepatoprotectors:

1. Heptral and its analogue, cheaper in cost, Heptor. Used in the presence of liver damage by viruses and toxins, as well as with cirrhosis in the initial stages. The main active ingredient of the drug is ademethionine. It has not only a hepatoprotective effect, but also an antidepressant, which is especially important for people with alcohol and drug addiction during the period of withdrawal.
2. Hofitol. Active ingredients - artichoke and other medicinal plants, the drug has a moderate choleretic and diuretic property, which helps to reduce the load on the liver."Hofitol" is used for biliary insufficiency and in the initial stages of the development of liver pathologies. However, its use in the blockage of the bile ducts is impractical.
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There are always certain indications for taking this or that hepatoprotector. Contraindications to Essential Forte and other forms of release can significantly complicate the treatment process. In this case, you can choose a drug from the list of analogues (of course, after consulting with your doctor). But taking even the most expensive hepatoprotector can be useless if the patient does not change his lifestyle in the following way:

• a complete rejection of alcohol in any form and quantity is the main condition for the possibility of restoration of liver cells;
• refusal to eat fried, fatty foods, saturated animal fats (in general, the patient should adhere to nutrition according to the medical diet table No. 5);
• moderate motor activity also positively affects the rate of outflow of bile and the condition of the digestive tract, which cannot but affect the condition of the liver;
• to study the instructions for use, in particular, the drug interaction with a particular drug, and not violate the rules of admission.