The drug "Piracetam" is a white powder highly soluble in water and alcohol. It is considered the main in the entire group of nootropic drugs. Today its analogues have been synthesized, for example, ethiracetam, oxyiracetam, but despite this, piracetam continues to be the most popular in its group.
The medicine "Piracetam" is well absorbed, evenly distributed in the tissues of the body (including the brain) when taken orally, excreted by the kidneys.
The drug has a beneficial effect on metabolism, cerebral circulation. With its help, redox processes are easier to proceed, the processing and withdrawal of glucose is accelerated, and blood flow to the ischemic parts of the brain is stimulated.
The mechanism of action is based, in particular, on increasing the rate of ATP metabolism, the activity of adenylate cyclase, due to this, the energy of the body increases, this in turn leads to tissue stability during hypoxia and toxic attack. RNA synthesis increases under the influence of the drug "Piracetam", indications for use indicate its low toxicity, when conducting experiments on animals, a fatal outcome occurred at a dosage of 10 g. per 1 kg of body weight, subject to intravenous administration.
Due to various diseases of the nervous system of adults and children, the medicine "Piracetam" is prescribed, the indications for use contain recommendations for taking the drug for pathologies of metabolic processes, vascular disorders. The drug is well tolerated by people of old age.
In neurology, "Piracetam" is prescribed for the treatment of atherosclerosis, vascular parkinsonism - those diseases that are in the nature of cerebrovascular disease. The manifestations of such diseases are impaired speech, memory, attention. "Piracetam" is prescribed for subcomatous and coma states of the body resulting from injuries, brain intoxications and during complex therapy after such conditions. In case of damage to the nervous system, Piracetam is also prescribed, indications for use: anomalies in the emotional-volitional sphere, decreased intellectual functions.
In gerontology, the drug "Piracetam" also found its use, indications for use: senile dementia (including Alzheimer's disease) as a complex therapy.
The drug has some contraindications:
renal failure
- allergy to fruit juices, essences,
- age of the child up to 1 year,
- children with a diagnosis of diabetes are not prescribed.
Piracetam has almost no side effects, it is usually well tolerated by patients, sometimes there is sleep disturbance, increased irritability, anxiety, and dyspeptic disorders. In elderly patients suffering from coronary insufficiency, an exacerbation of the process is observed. If such phenomena are detected, you should either reduce the daily dose or exclude the drug.
If the doctor prescribed a course of treatment with piracetam in the form of granules, then an allergic reaction from the body, manifested by gastrointestinal abnormalities or skin rashes, is possible on the drug. This happens because of the high sugar content in the preparation.
Piracetam is produced in injection ampoules, in tablets, in granules and in the form of baby syrup.
"Piracetam" is prescribed in combination therapy, along with cardiovascular and psychotropic drugs.
Prescribe the drug orally, intravenously or intramuscularly. The daily dosage of Piracetam depends on the nature of the disease and the degree of damage to the body. In some acute manifestations (coma, cerebral diseases, treatment of poisoning), the dose is started from 2 and adjusted to 6 g every day.
Children are prescribed "Piracetam" in the form of granules. In the treatment of chronic processes, the dosage begins with 1 or 2 g and is adjusted to a maximum of 4 g every day.