During epidemics and colds, which are more likely to occur in the cold season, people use all kinds of ways to increase immunity. Some use for this ancient and proven recipes of traditional medicine. Others resort to medicinal formulations. The opinions of doctors about such prevention differ greatly.
This article will tell you about the reviews Zanamivir has. You will learn about the trade names for this medicine and can read reviews about them.
Preparations containing zanamivir
In modern pharmacy chains, you can purchase a medicine with the trade name Relenza. It has been released recently only as prescribed by the doctor. However, unscrupulous sellers can give it without a corresponding piece of paper.
Many consumers are wondering if there are other drugs available that contain zanamivir? You can answer this question with full confidence in the negative. Drug manufacturers have not yet created an absolute substitute for this drug.
general characteristics
What is the drug "Zanamivir" reviews, you can find out more. First, give a description of this drug. As you already know, the trade name of the drug is Relenza. Powder formulation is available. It is used exclusively by inhalation. Internal use is unacceptable and contraindicated.
The composition of the drug includes 20 doses. Each of them contains 5 milligrams of zanamivir. Among the additional substances, lactose can be noted. In the kit for the drug "Zanamivir", the instruction is necessarily attached. Also in the package there is an apparatus for inhalation administration of the drug. The method of its use is described in detail in the annotation.
The cost of the drug
What is the price of a drug with the active substance zanamivir? It all depends on where you will get the medicine. In pharmacy chains that dispense funds according to the appropriate prescription, the drug costs about 1300 rubles per pack. In the event that you do not have an appointment from a doctor, pharmacists can, for their own benefit, raise the price to 2000 rubles and release the goods to you. Repeatedly, such situations have been reported.
Also, some consumers say that the price of Zanamivir is about 3-5 thousand rubles. In this case, the medication is ordered through the Internet. Such manipulation does not require a prescription, but it is completely illegal. Please note that the medicinal formulations must be purchased exclusively in the relevant points that are licensed and authorized to sell them. Treatment with poor-quality medicines purchased in clandestine locations can lead to disastrous consequences.
How to replace the drug?
The active substance zanamivir analogues has different. As you already know, the drug does not have an absolute substitute that would have an identical composition. However, there are drugs with another active substance that works in the same way. The closest medicine to the described will be the drug "Tamiflu." Zanamivir and oseltamivir are neurominidase inhibitors. They block the release of harmful particles from cells that are already infected with the virus. Note that the active substances zanamivir and oseltamivir are unique. They have no analogues with the same composition. The drug "Tamiflu" is available in tablets for internal use and can not be used by inhalation.
Has the active substance zanamivir analogues and another plan. Such drugs include Interferon, Isoprinosine, Rimantadine, Anaferon, Derinat, Isoprinosine, and many others. All of them have a lower cost. At the same time, they are available for sale without appropriate prescription from a doctor. The listed medicines can be in the form of tablets, injections, drops for nasal use and inhalation.
Indications for appointment
As you already know, a drug with the active substance zanamivir (Relenza) is sold exclusively by prescription. In this case, the therapist should prescribe the medicine. The doctor writes out a form on which the amount of the drug and the duration of the course of use are indicated. Your data (last name and first name) is also required. According to this document, you can freely purchase the specified tool.
The medicine "Zanamivir" ("Relenza") is used as an antiviral and immunomodulating agent. It is used for treatment and for preventive purposes. The annotation indicates that the powder for inhalation is prescribed for influenza A and B. However, doctors sometimes recommend medication in other situations. The medicine can be used for viral bronchitis, pneumonia and other diseases.
Usage restrictions
About the medicine "Zanamivir" the instruction says that it should not be used with hypersensitivity to the components of the drug. The composition for diabetes and lactase deficiency is not prescribed. This is where the funds limitations end.
However, doctors have a slightly different point of view about this. They complement the data described by others. About Zanamivir, the reviews of experts report that the drug should not be used for children under the age of 5 years. All due to the fact that the baby will not be able to take the drug correctly. Also in the specified tool it is impossible to divide the existing dose into several parts.
additional information
Is it possible to use Tamiflu and Zanamivir drugs during pregnancy and lactation? As you already know, medicines are contraindicated in young children. So can they harm the baby through the body of his mother? We will deal with this issue.
The annotation states that it is not necessary to use the described medicine in the first trimester of pregnancy. In the second and third parts of the term, use is permissible only as prescribed by the doctor, taking into account all risks. Doctors have a different opinion. About the medicine "Zanamivir" (trade name - "Relenza"), experts report the following. The introduction of the drug in large doses, as well as the use of the Tamiflu analogue, can have a teratogenic effect on the developing fetus. It is especially dangerous to use drugs in a large dose.
Negative reactions: side effects
The active substance zanamivir (the trade name for the drug is Relenza) is usually well tolerated by consumers. However, the annotation reports that the drug may also cause adverse reactions.
The instructions describe the following cases:
- An allergic reaction, manifested by rash, itching and urticaria.
- Cough, which leads to bronchospasm.
- Swelling of the face, larynx, difficulty breathing.
If you are faced with a similar situation, it is recommended that you contact a specialist as soon as possible. Further use of this medication is unacceptable and dangerous.
The way to use the medication
For influenza, Zanamivir is administered by inhalation. The medication has no other way of using. Many patients are interested in whether there are pills with the name Zanamivir. This form of drug release is not yet available.
Before starting the application, it is necessary to carefully study the instructions. Also strictly follow all the recommendations that the doctor gave you. If there were none, then follow the annotations.
Take the inhalation container and carefully examine it. Remove the cover and insert one rotadisc. After this, snap the container and begin inhalation. Depending on the purpose of the drug, its dose may vary greatly.
Flu treatment
The antiviral "Zanamivir" is prescribed for adult patients and children over five years of age. In children, the use of the drug should be controlled by adults. The dosage of the drug is two inhalations twice a day. In this case, it is desirable to produce the application at the same time with equal intervals.
One rotadisk is enough for the day of treatment. The duration of the course is 5 days. Using mathematical calculations, you can find out that the packaging of the medicine is enough for a whole course.
Preventive actions
The medicine "Zanamivir" is recommended as a prophylaxis. However, recently it has been used less and less. The reason for this was the sale of a prescription drug. Specialists are trying to prescribe other, more affordable and safe means for the prevention of viral diseases.
As a prevention of influenza and viral infections, the medication is used in adults and children after 10 years. Previously, using it in the absence of the disease is not recommended. The instruction for use advises you to follow the following algorithm. Two inhalations of 5 milligrams of the active substance are taken once a day. In order not to get sick when in contact with an infected person, it is necessary to continue such therapy for up to 10 days. One pack of medication is just designed for this period.
Persons with respiratory diseases
The drug "Zanamivir" in rare cases leads to such a side effect as bronchospasm. However, this reaction is not excluded. People who have a history of respiratory diseases are especially susceptible to it. Most often these are asthmatics.
If there is no possibility to refuse the described means, then it is necessary to have bronchodilator preparations with you for the entire duration of treatment. Do not think that if once the reaction did not arise, then it will not be thereafter. With the development of bronchospasm, it is necessary to immediately stop the manipulation. Take appropriate medication as soon as possible to relieve bronchospasm and widen their lumen. This will help you restore normal breathing. During the procedure, breathe the way you do in ordinary life. No need to take very deep and sharp breaths.
Zanamivir: patient reviews
What opinions are formed about the described medicine by those who used it for treatment or prevention? Many people during the period of epidemics used this tool. More recently, it could be purchased without a doctor's prescription. Patients say that the Zanamivir medication is very effective. The medicine quickly has a positive effect on the body. It enhances immunity and enhances resistance. Immediately it is worth saying that the timely use of the drug after contact with the infected does not allow a person to get sick.
Also, many patients used the tool to treat the disease. The drug is prescribed for such serious and dangerous diseases as swine or bird flu. It is these diseases that often lead to complication and death. Consumers report that after starting treatment, they feel much better. Improvement was observed already on the second or third day. The general course of treatment was five days. In rare cases, the doctor recommended increasing the duration of the medication.
Patients indicate that the Zanamivir medicine is convenient to use. You can always bring a device for inhalation and a rotadisc. If you cannot go on sick leave and have to go to work, then this will be an invaluable advantage.
Opinions of specialists
Often, patients are interested in the doctor about the drug "Zanamivir", where to buy it? The specialist should always explain to his patient that this medication is available only on prescription. Do not look for workarounds and purchase the drug at non-specialized points. Doctors say that often there were cases of detection of the adverse reactions from the therapy not considered above. At the same time, the consumer used an underground method of acquiring the medicine. No one knows what is actually in such a drug.
Therapists say that the drug should not be used for preventive purposes. Currently, there are many alternative means that are recognized as safer and more affordable. You can easily get them at the pharmacy and conduct a preventive course of admission. The medicine "Zanamivir" is prescribed only when the disease has already been identified.
Some experts report that the drug "Zanamivir" does not have a proven effectiveness. Doctors say that the effect of the drug is based on the placebo effect. However, the price of the medication and its instructions report the opposite. Of course, reviews are very important for specialists and consumers of the drug. However, you should not rely only on them. Doctors advise to study information about the medicine before using it. But at the same time, it is imperative to familiarize yourself with the instructions for use and take into account the opinion of doctors.
Is there any addiction?
Experts say that Zanamivir is a drug that is never addictive. Many consumers have an erroneous opinion. They suggest that viruses may develop resistance to the substance. After all, this is exactly what happens with the uncontrolled or incorrect use of antibiotics.
This is actually not the case. The specified medicine affects its own immunity, enhancing it. The drug blocks the release of neurominidase. That is why it is called an inhibitor. The agent after entering the respiratory tract recognizes the affected cells and prohibits their work. Also, inhalation powder containing zanamivir does not allow the virus to penetrate further. The maximum effect of the medication occurs in those cases when therapy is carried out in the first two days after the onset of the first symptoms of infection. Usually this is a headache, a sharp increase in body temperature. In this case, the flu is usually characterized by numbers from 39 degrees and above. Often the patient is not able to eliminate the fever with the usual antipyretic drugs.
Interaction
Often the medicine "Zanamivir" is prescribed simultaneously with other drugs. The most common combination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with the specified medication. Such an interaction is perfectly acceptable. There are no negative reactions to treatment. Together, the drugs have a positive effect on the patient's body, relieving inflammation, lowering the temperature and blocking the multiplication of the virus.
It happens that sorbents are prescribed with the indicated medication. They are used to remove toxins that are secreted by the multiplying viruses. With this combination of drugs, you must definitely observe a break. Doctors usually recommend taking one remedy and only after 2-3 hours resort to using another. Otherwise, the antiviral drug may not work in full measure.
Prescribing a drug can be carried out simultaneously with antibiotic therapy. In this case, most antimicrobial compounds are normally combined with the indicated medicine. But it is worth remembering that with the simultaneous use of medicines, you must always consult a doctor. If you have to take any drug, and you have been prescribed the Zanamivir medication, tell your doctor about it. If necessary, the doctor will help you choose the most suitable regimen.
The medicine should not be used with other antiviral and immunomodulating agents, unless the doctor has given such a recommendation. Such therapy can lead to an overdose of an active substance. Any incorrect combination of drugs is fraught with consequences.
Summarize…
You have learned about Zanamivir. The drug has the trade name "Relenza". Replace it with medicines with the same substance is impossible. It is difficult and unsafe to buy medicine without a prescription from a doctor. Remember that restrictions on the use of medicines are created for a reason. In this way, the state is trying to protect a person from improper treatment that could harm him.
In most cases, this medication has positive reviews. He has practically no contraindications. According to the instructions, the medicine effectively fights against various types of viruses. However, not all experts are convinced of the effectiveness of the medication. To this day, active debate and research are being conducted on this subject. To get the correct, effective and qualified appointment, you need to see a doctor. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe you a series of studies, after which he will recommend this or that remedy. Remember that flu is an insidious disease. It often leads to a complication that can result in death. Do not hesitate and independently use well-known medications. I wish you good health!