What helps Ranitidine? This is a common question. Let's figure it out.
This drug belongs to the pharmacological group of medicines that block H2-histamine receptors. It is used, as a rule, in order to reduce the acidity of the stomach during the development of various pathologies of the stomach and upper sections of the small intestine.
Instructions for use with "Ranitidine" are presented below.
The composition of the medication
The drug is available in the form of tablets for oral administration, they are coated with a membrane soluble in the intestines. The tablets have a round shape and a convex surface on both sides, the color is light orange. The main active ingredient of this medication is ranitidine hydrochloride. The amount of this component in one tablet is 300 and 150 mg. In addition, it includes some additional substances, which include:
- propylene glycol;
- ethyl cellulose;
- corn starch;
- titanium dioxide;
- magnesium stearate;
- microcrystalline cellulose;
- polyethylene glycol;
- sodium lauryl sulfate;
- dye is yellow.
In what forms is produced
Tablets of the medicine “Ranitidine” are packaged in blisters, in each of which they are in the amount of 10 pieces. Blisters are packed in a cardboard box, 2 pieces each. The pack also contains instructions for the use of this medication.
Pharmacological properties of the drug
According to the instructions for use with Ranitidine, the active substance of this medication is able to block special histamine H2 receptors of the glandular parietal cells of the stomach membrane, which are responsible for the formation of hydrochloric acid. This process leads to the fact that the volume of produced gastric juice is reduced, as well as its acidity, and, accordingly, the biological activity of a specific enzyme, pepsin, is reduced.
A similar mechanism of action of Ranitidine is manifested, as a rule, in relation to the main and stimulated food load, irritation of some baroreceptors, the action of hormonal substances, and also certain biologically active compounds of internal secretion, such as gastrin and histamine. The drug does not affect the levels of the hormone prolactin in the human body. The duration of the therapeutic effect of these tablets is 12 hours. Can I drink Ranitidine during pregnancy? About it below.
After taking this drug inside, the active substances are almost completely absorbed into the blood from the upper gastric tract. This happens very quickly, and the maximum concentration of the active substance in the patient’s blood is observed after 2-3 hours. The presence of undigested contents in the stomach and intestines does not affect the degree of absorption of the active substances. They are evenly distributed throughout the body, and by penetrating from the blood into the gastric mucosa, they begin to have a major therapeutic effect. The medicine is removed from the body in its main quantity (about 80%) in an unchanged form through the urinary system. During pregnancy, the active substances penetrate the body of the developing fetus through the placenta of a woman, as well as into breast milk during feeding the newborn. What else does the instructions for use with Ranitidine say?
Indications
The main clinical signs that require treatment with a drug are:
- The need to reduce the acidity of gastric juice with the development of various pathological processes that occur in the organs of the digestive system.
- An ulcerative pathology, which is characterized by the formation of ulcers with a primary localization on the walls of the duodenum and stomach - the drug is used for basic therapy, it can also be used to prevent relapse (exacerbations), with increased acidity in the stomach, which does not allow healing of defects in its mucosa shell. Indications "Ranitidine" are not limited to this.
- Erosive esophagitis is a disease that is characterized by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the esophagus and a violation of its integrity.
- Reflux esophagitis is an inflammation that affects the esophagus, caused by the reflux of acid in the stomach.
- Prevention of the formation of erosion and ulcers, which are the result of severe stress, as well as provoked by certain operations.
- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, which is a benign tumor of the gastric mucosa, which contributes to an increase in hydrochloric acid and the formation of ulcerative defects. What other indications does Ranitidine have?
- Lesions of the mucous membranes in the upper digestive tract of a ulcerative nature, which could be caused by prolonged treatment with certain drugs belonging to the pharmacological group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Prevention of bleeding from ulcers in the upper gastric tract mucosa.
- In addition, this drug can be used to prevent the splashing of gastric juice into the respiratory tract before performing surgical procedures using general anesthesia (the so-called Mendelssohn syndrome).
Medical contraindications to the use of the medication
Taking the Ranitidine drug during pregnancy and lactation is contraindicated, as well as for children under 12 years old, since the active substances of this medication can have some toxic effect on the fetus and young children. In the presence of intolerance to the components of the drug, it is also contraindicated. With caution, the medication should be used with insufficient functionality of the kidneys and liver, as well as in cases of concomitant porphyria, cirrhosis of the liver, after portosystemic encephalopathy.
Dosage and methods of use
As indicated by the instructions for use, "Ranitidine" in the form of tablets should be taken orally, regardless of meals. Tablets can not be chewed and crushed. They should be washed down with a sufficient amount of liquid, which can be used as ordinary water, milk drinks, juices. Doses of the drug, as well as the frequency of administration in people of different age groups, depend on the indications:
- With an ulcer with localization of pathological lesions in the stomach or duodenum - 0.1 g twice a day. If necessary, this dose may be increased. The duration of this administration varies depending on the degree of the disease, and is usually 4 to 8 weeks. When conducting preventive measures against exacerbation of such a pathology, the medicine can be used in small doses - 0.15 g once a day. Since nicotine enhances the production of hydrochloric acid, for smokers, prophylactic doses of the drug can be increased to 0.5 g once a day. "Ranitidine" for pain in the stomach is very effective.
- With Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, the initial daily doses of the drug are, as a rule, 0.15 g three times a day at equal time intervals, but if necessary, the dosage should be increased.
- To prevent erosion or ulcer bleeding, the drug is taken at a dose of 0.15 g in the morning and evening.
- In the treatment of duodenal ulcers, provoked by high emotional overload and stress, the dose is usually 0.15 g twice a day, the duration of such therapy is 3-7 weeks.
- The ulcers resulting from the use of drugs belonging to the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs also amount to 0.15 g twice a day, the course of such therapy should last at least 8 weeks.
- Erosive reflux gastritis is treated with doses of the Ranitidine drug - 0.15 g twice a day. If severe forms of the pathological process occur, the dose of this drug can be increased, and the course in this case is up to 12 weeks. For the prevention of such a pathology, Ranitidine is used in a dose of 0.15 g twice a day.
- To prevent the occurrence of Mendelssohn’s syndrome - 0.25 g in the evening before surgery, and immediately before surgery - 0.15 g two hours before the patient is anesthetized.
Depending on the severity of the pathological process, in each individual case, a specialist can adjust the dosage of the drug "Ranitidine" for each patient individually.
Side effects from the use of the drug
According to reviews of “Ranitidine”, while taking this medication, some undesirable phenomena from various organs of the body may occur. These include:
- From the digestive system: dry mouth, nausea, periodic bouts of vomiting and diarrhea, abdominal pain of various localization, hepatitis may develop in rare cases, which can be cholestatic, hepatocellular or mixed.
- From the nervous system: symptoms of drowsiness, periodic headaches, increased fatigue and dizziness. In more rare cases, there may be tinnitus, confusion, hallucinations, irritability, and the appearance of involuntary movements. Side effects of Ranitidine do not end there.
- From the side of the heart and vascular system: a decrease in the number of heart contractions (bradycardia), blood pressure (hypotension), a disturbance in the rhythm of heart contractions (arrhythmia), as well as blocking the passage of impulses through the nerve nodes between the atria and ventricles - the so-called atrioventricular block.
- From the endocrine system: in men - gynecomastia (mammary glands increase in volume), impotence; in women - an increase in the level of the hormone prolactin (hyperprolactinemia), a decrease in sexual activity, signs of amenorrhea (lack of menstruation).
- On the part of hematopoiesis: a decrease in the blood number of leukocytes (leukocytopenia), granulocytes (agranulocytosis) and platelets (thrombocytopenia), as well as hemolytic anemia, which is a decrease in hemoglobin and the number of red blood cells, which is associated with increased destruction. A decrease in the activity of bone marrow cells involved in blood formation may also be observed.
- On the part of the sensory organs - a violation of the concentration of vision, characterized by a decrease in the clarity of perception, and also, in rare cases, paresis of accommodation.
- On the part of the motor apparatus - manifestations of myalgia and arthralgia (pain in muscles and joints).
- All kinds of allergic reactions in the form of the appearance of a skin rash, redness, urticaria (characteristic skin lesions that are characteristic of a nettle burn). In addition, angioneurotic Quincke edema may occur when swelling of the soft tissues of the upper respiratory tract develops as a result of increased permeability of the vascular wall. Perhaps the development of spasms (narrowing of the lumen) of the bronchi, anaphylactic shock (systemic allergic reaction with the occurrence of multiple organ failure).
Some patients report hair loss and increased creatinine levels (hypercreatininemia).
The appearance of signs of serious negative phenomena is the basis for stopping the use of this drug.
Analogues of "Ranitidine" consider below.
special instructions
To increase the effectiveness of such a medication, you should pay attention to the special instructions regarding its use, which include:
- Taking the drug "Ranitidine" can mask the symptoms of malignant neoplasms of the stomach.
- After a sharp cancellation of the drug, a “rebound" syndrome may occur - a sharp increase in acidity. Therefore, the abolition of these tablets should be carried out gradually.
- Against the background of prolonged stresses, an infectious process in the stomach can occur.
- While taking medications "Ketoconazole" or "Itraconazole", "Ranitidine", it is imperative to observe an interval of several hours, since the degree of absorption of these drugs may decrease.
Ranitidine and alcohol
Drinking alcohol during treatment with the drug is not recommended. This is fraught with negative consequences for the body. Men and women should withstand from 24 to 32 hours before drinking, and 12 hours after drinking.
Reviews
According to reviews of people who used this drug as the main treatment for certain diseases of the digestive tract, we can conclude that there are both positive and negative opinions about it. Negative reviews of "Ranitidine" indicate the presence of multiple side effects, which forced many patients to cancel taking this drug and consult a specialist for a new treatment appointment. Positive feedback is that patients noted the very high efficacy of the drug and the good tolerance of its active substances.
The following are analogues of Ranitidine.
Analogs
Structural analogues are Zantak, Ranigast, Histak, Zoran, Ranitin, Acidex drugs.
What helps Ranitidine, now we know.