Ephedrine has psychostimulant, vasoconstrictive, bronchodilator, hypertensive and hyperglycemic properties. But this remedy has a long list of side effects. Despite the fact that it is prohibited in some states, in Russia this drug is actively used to treat adult patients. In pharmacies "Ephedrine" is only available with a prescription, therefore, immediately before its use, you must consult your doctor. Next, we find out what are the analogues of "Ephedrine." But first, get acquainted with the instructions for use of this drug.
Composition "Ephedrine"
This drug is sold as tablets or as an injection. The main active ingredient in it is ephedrine hydrochloride.
Pharmacological effects of this drug
Many are interested in which group of drugs Ephedrine belongs to.
This medicine is a sympathomimetic stimulating adrenergic receptors. The medication is endowed with psychostimulating, bronchodilating and vasoconstrictive properties. The presented drug can increase the power of heart contractions.
What is the mechanism of action of Ephedrine?
This drug increases blood glucose concentration along with skeletal muscle tone. “Ephedrine” dilates pupils in people, without exerting any influence on accommodation and intraocular pressure. This medicine inhibits intestinal motility. Ephedrine stimulates the nervous system and is very close to Phenamine in its psychostimulating effect. The drug starts the process of narrowing of the dilated vessels, reducing their increased permeability and reducing swelling with urticaria.
Fifteen to sixty minutes after taking ephedrine hydrochloride in humans, the onset of the therapeutic effect is noted, and the duration of exposure to the drug is usually from three to five hours. With an intramuscular injection of 25 milligrams of the drug, the effect of the drug is observed for twenty minutes. In the event that this drug is re-administered with a small interval of ten to thirty minutes, then the action of its active component decreases sharply. Next, find out in which cases it is advisable to use this medication.
Indications for use "Ephedrine"
The presented drug is prescribed to people in the following cases:
- If the patient has rhinitis, pollinosis or sinusitis.
- Against the background of arterial hypotension.
- During surgical interventions, as well as with injuries and blood loss.
- Against the background of urticaria, bronchial asthma or serum sickness as part of a combined treatment.
- If a person has depression.
- In case of poisoning with drugs and sleeping pills.
- As part of diagnostic procedures in ophthalmology in order to dilate the pupils.
Indications "Ephedrine" are described in detail in the instructions.
Method of using the medication
The drug is prescribed for people to use inside or intramuscularly, and, in addition, it can be used intravenously:
- In the presence of bronchial asthma and other allergic diseases, 50 milligrams of the drug is prescribed orally for ten to twenty days.
- Before anesthesia, Ephedrine is injected intramuscularly at 20 milligrams.
- In the presence of arterial hypotension, Ephedrine is used intravenously at 0.4 milliliters of a five percent solution.
- For the treatment of children as part of the stimulation of the nervous system, the drug is prescribed orally at 100 milligrams per day.
- In ophthalmic practice, a five percent solution is usually used.
Here are the maximum allowable dosages of the drug for oral use: daily - 150 milligrams, and a single - 50 milligrams.
Contraindications to the use of the drug
This medicine is not prescribed for people with insomnia, but, in addition, hypersensitivity to Ephedrine. The medication is not suitable for use in the presence of uncontrolled arterial hypertension and tachycardia.
When should Ephedrine be used with caution?
With caution, the medicine is prescribed in the following cases:
- If the patient has hypercapnia, metabolic acidosis or atrial fibrillation.
- Against the background of hypoxia or pulmonary hypertension.
- Against the background of myocardial infarction or diseases of the occlusal vessels.
- With atherosclerosis and diabetic endarteritis.
- Against the background of arterial hypertension and with thyrotoxicosis.
- If the patient has diabetes.
Caution should be taken "Ephedrine" with the parallel use of drugs for inhalation anesthesia. Now we will understand what this drug can cause adverse reactions.
Side effects while taking this medication
Ephedrine can cause a large number of different side effects, which must be considered before using it. Even if all the proper intake rules are followed, this medicine can still have a harmful effect on the body. Thus, directly during the use of this drug, patients may experience adverse reactions in the form of motor anxiety, shortness of breath, nervousness, chills, weakness, hyperthermia, and sleep disturbances.
Among other things, it is possible to dilate the pupils, the appearance of headaches, allergies, tremors of the extremities and blurred visual perception. The occurrence of muscle tissue spasms is not ruled out, along with shortness of breath, cramps, increased sweating, dizziness, pallor of the skin, and so on. It is also likely difficult, and at the same time painful urination, nausea, pain behind the sternum, ventricular arrhythmias, and, in addition, dryness in the oral cavity and the like.
The cost of medicine in pharmacy chains
This drug is not cheap and its approximate cost in Russian pharmacies is about one thousand rubles.
List of analogues of this medication
Allocate a number of drugs with the same active ingredient, which have a similar effect. But in some analogues of Ephedrine, other active substances may be present. So, the following drugs are today analogues of the presented medicine:
- Means "Theofedrin-N".
- The drug "Broncholitin."
- The medicine "Cephedrine."
- The drug "Dietrine."
- Medications Bronchoton and Bronchocin.
- A tool called "DMAA."
Next, we will dwell on some of them in more detail and consider the main indications and methods of using these analogues of “Ephedrine”.
The drug "DMAA"
The main component of this analogue is methylhexamine. This is a very effective substitute for Ephedrine in the field of bodybuilding, however, you should be careful with its use. The drug "DMAA" is famous for its psychostimulating properties and is accepted by many people. This substitute "Ephedrine" is very popular in use among foreign military personnel and athletes.
The dosage of the drug should be prescribed by the attending physician. In no case should you exceed the recommended dose and even more so mix the active ingredient of the presented analogue with other stimulants. It is worth noting that examples of deaths due to improper administration of DMAA are known.
The main contraindications for taking this drug containing ephedrine are the presence of high blood pressure in the patient, and, in addition, heart palpitations along with tachycardia. Side effects of this analogue are similar to Ephedrine and usually appear in the form of headache, nervousness and tremor. At the cost of these drugs are exactly the same: both that and another means will cost customers one thousand rubles.
Consider another equally popular substitute for Ephedrine.
The drug "Broncholitin"
The main active ingredient of Broncholitin is also ephedrine hydrochloride. Therefore, the presented analogue is very similar in its pharmacological properties to the original. This analogue is also very popular among bodybuilders, like the previous substitute. It is often used to reduce appetite, increase the health of the body, and, in addition, to burn fat, speed up metabolism, increase heart rate and stimulate the nervous system.
"Broncholitin" activates the sympathetic nervous system. The presented analogue allows the human body to start the anabolic process and accelerates cell metabolism.
As already noted, in many ways this analogue is similar to the original. The drugs have the same indications and contraindications, and in addition, the side reactions that may occur during their use are similar. The main difference is the cost. "Broncholitin" is a cheap analogue of "Ephedrine" and costs consumers only one hundred and fifty rubles.
Despite not many different variations of the use of "Broncholitin", the average portion is, as a rule, 50 milliliters of the drug per day. To achieve greater effectiveness of the main component (ephedrine), this analogue must be used in combination with Aspirin and Caffeine. In such a combination, the following ratio would be ideal: 50 milliliters of Broncholitin, 500 milligrams of Aspirin and 240 milligrams of Caffeine.
Medication "Teofedrin-N"
According to the instructions for use, "Teofedrin-N" is a combined drug that has antispasmodic and bronchodilator effects. This analogue contains the same active ingredient as Ephedrine.
This substitute increases the lumen of the bronchi, expanding the vessels of the lungs and lowering the pressure. Among other things, the effect of the drug is aimed at stimulating the respiratory centers, expanding the coronary vessels and increasing the frequency and strength of heart contractions. In addition, taking the drug increases renal blood flow, providing a moderate diuretic effect. Instructions for use with "Theofedrin-N" confirms this.
Due to the presence in the composition of the additional ingredient in the form of paracetamol, “Teofedrin-N”, unlike “Ephedrine”, is also endowed with antipyretic and analgesic properties. This drug is prescribed to adults half a tablet once a day. If necessary, you can take two tablets once a day. The presented analogue is cheaper than Ephedrine and its cost is about five hundred rubles.
The drug "Cephedrine"
The drug "Cephedrine" is another analogue of "Ephedrine" and, as the name of the drug indicates, in this case we are talking about one active component. "Cephedrine" is taken for depressive conditions, which are accompanied by motor inhibition after prolonged use of antipsychotic drugs. It can also be prescribed to patients with anesthetic depression.
Contraindications for its use are: the patient has hypersensitivity, agitation, liver and kidney failure. This analogue is taken orally. The initial dose is 25 milligrams of the drug three times a day. Then the amount of active ingredient is gradually increased to 300 milligrams per day. After reaching the desired effect, the dose is gradually reduced and further maintenance treatment is already being carried out at 50 milligrams per day.
The presented antidepressant analogue produces a timoleptic and psychostimulating effect. In its structure, this substitute is very close to Ephedrine. This medication has unexpressed anticholinergic activity. Cephedrine causes the same side effects as Ephedrine, which manifests itself in the appearance of dry mouth, constipation, agitation, and insomnia.