In the twenty-first century, medicine has stepped far forward, and this is an indisputable fact. However, the same axiom remains that in the world today there are many different diseases that only really strong drugs can cope with. There are also a lot of various infections in which bacteria enter the human body, and in order to remove them, a rather lengthy treatment is required. One of the antimicrobial medicines that can help in such a difficult situation is the medicine Metronidazole.
"Metronidazole": a description of the drug
The history of the drug began in France, where it appeared in the past century. Initially, it had a completely different name - “Flagil” - and was developed exclusively as a remedy against trichomoniasis (a disease of the genitourinary system). The fact that the medicine has an antibacterial effect was found out only in the middle of the 20th century, and that was absolutely accidental. Currently, the drug is generally included in the list of essential medicines.
Thus, Metronidazole now refers not only to antibacterial agents, but also to antiprotozoal drugs (that is, it fights against protozoa). The medicine is produced in different forms: there are Metronidazole tablets, a similar solution, vaginal suppositories (suppositories), as well as the cream of the same name and two types of gel - vaginal and external. In the form of a powder, the drug is difficult to dissolve in water, it is generally impossible to do this in alcohol.
The composition of the drug and its effect
The main active ingredient in the drug of any kind is the same substance - metronidazole. Depending on the form in which the medication is presented, this substance is more or less in it. So, Metronidazole tablets contain it in an amount of 250 milligrams, in a vaginal gel it is 1 gram, in a cream - 10 milligrams. Of course, various auxiliary substances are present in the medicine in small volumes - for example, water in a gel, solution, and even cream.
"Metronidazole" enters a wide variety of tissues and fluids in the human body - bile, saliva, liver. The drug even penetrates into breast milk, but it is excreted with the help of the kidneys and intestines. The drug has many diverse effects - in addition to the already mentioned antiprotozoal and antibacterial, it is also antiulcer and anti-alcohol. As for the latter, the effect is very interesting here: if a person suffered from alcohol dependence, and he was prescribed the medicine “Metronidazole”, then he will develop an aversion to alcohol, which just forms this drug.
Indications
Among the indications for the use of the above medicinal product are many various diseases and infections. It is possible to answer the question of what Metronidazole cures for, if only at least briefly familiarize yourself with this list. First of all, of course, the medication for trichomoniasis is allowed - after all, it was precisely to combat this problem that it was originally developed. Reception "Metronidazole" is indicated for the treatment of any form of this disease, including complicated or chronic.
In addition, the drug is prescribed for hepatic, cerebral or abdominal abscess, giardia, bacterial vaginosis, meningitis, various infections of the skin or bones. This is an excellent tool to eliminate problems associated with postoperative complications (including gynecological nature); prescribe the drug for pneumonia and peritonitis, granuloma and hemorrhoids, endocarditis and sepsis. The use of Metronidazole in gynecology is very wide. It is prescribed to women with any inflammatory processes of the uterus, for example, with endometritis. Gastritis, peptic ulcer, osteomyelitis, colitis, sinusitis, lower respiratory tract infections, stomatitis - all these and many other diseases can also be treated with Metronidazole
Contraindications
We studied, albeit briefly, when Metronidazole is indicated. The spectrum of conditions and pathologies is truly huge and affects processes in various organs, but the list of contraindications for taking the drug is also quite impressive. Of course, the medicine can not be used if its individual intolerance (or of some component in the composition of the drug) is observed. Do not use the medicine for people who have ever (even very long ago) been exposed to a disease such as leukopenia (a decrease in the number of white blood cells in the blood). The use of the drug is forbidden to those who suffer from impaired coordination of movements and all kinds of lesions of the nervous system, primarily epileptics. Liver failure is also a contraindication to taking Metronidazole, however, as is the need to use amoxicillin. It should be noted in this situation: the simultaneous use of these two drugs is prohibited for those whose age is less than eighteen years (more on the combination of amoxicillin and metronidazole is described below).
But as for driving a car, it is not banned while taking the drug. You just need to be careful if you need to drive - and indeed, in situations that require increased attention and the ability to react quickly, because one of the side effects of the medication is dizziness, which is dangerous when driving a vehicle.
Side effects and overdose
Side effects from Metronidazole, as mentioned above, include dizziness (sometimes very strong, up to loss of consciousness). In addition, taking the drug can adversely affect the following way: nausea and / or vomiting will appear, it will disappear completely or appetite will decrease, diarrhea or constipation will occur. An unpleasant taste in the mouth (some associate it with a taste of metal, some blood), intestinal cramps, cramps, irritability and / or irritability, apathy with depression, allergies, insomnia are also side effects of Metronidazole. Moreover, in the most extreme cases, hearing impairment, disorientation in space, joint pain, frequent urination, burning in the genitals, hallucinations, and profuse lacrimation are possible.
If you arbitrarily increase the dosage of Metronidazole, this can lead to an overdose of the drug. In this case, you should immediately stop taking it and consult a specialist. And you should pay special attention to your well-being in such situations when nausea and vomiting, spasms of the extremities, neuropathy and impaired coordination suddenly appeared. With severe drug poisoning, epileptic seizures are possible, even if a person has not been exposed to them before.
Pregnant Use
Can I take Metronidazole during pregnancy? This is perhaps one of the most exciting issues. After all, everyone knows that during pregnancy the medical "diet" of expectant mothers is very, very limited - something is not recommended for use because the effect on pregnant women has not been studied (it’s understandable), something is strictly prohibited, since has a negative effect on the fetus ... So, is it possible to "Metronidazole" during pregnancy? It is possible, but very carefully. And more specifically, in the first trimester, it is strictly forbidden to use the drug, since only the formation of the future baby is in progress.
In the second and third trimesters, you can drink this medicine only if the attending physician is sure that the benefit for the woman will be much more than the potential harm. The thing is that the substance penetrates the placenta, and therefore, if possible, it is better to abandon its use and turn to authorized and safe medications. Thus, to summarize what has been said, it should be noted that the appointment of Metronidazole during the period of bearing the child is permissible only in the most extreme cases and only for serious and vital indications.
The drug for lactation
As for breastfeeding, here the answer to the question about the ability to drink this drug is unambiguous. It was already mentioned above that metronidazole is able to penetrate into any tissues and fluids of the human body. This also applies to breast milk, which the drug gives a bitter taste. In order to avoid the effect of the drug on the baby, during lactation, either this drug is not prescribed, or if there are no other options and you still have to take it, breast-feeding should be stopped until treatment is underway. But you should not think that on the very day after the last medication you can resume applying the baby to the chest. For the drug to be completely eliminated from the body, it takes some time, so you should wait another day or two, before you start breastfeeding again. And in order for milk not to disappear while the baby is not breastfeeding, it is recommended to pump regularly - milk pumps, which are now available in large quantities on the market, will do just fine.
For children
Metronidazole tablets are allowed to be prescribed to children at any age — even infants (of course, if they have no contraindications; in addition, if the baby has kidney problems, you should refrain from using this medication). But injections - in other words, injections - can only be given to children over five years of age: it is not known for certain how safe this treatment will be at an earlier age. As for the dosage of the tablet, it varies from half the tablet to two and depends on the age of the baby.
"Metronidazole": instructions
How to take the drug "Metronidazole" depends on the reason dictated by the use of the drug. So, for example, in the case of trichomoniasis, these are two tablets per day for ten days (of course, we are talking exclusively about adult patients). If necessary, after a while the course is repeated (not earlier than after four or even six weeks). With a disease such as amoebiasis (amoebic dysentery), the dosage of Metronidazole increases by exactly one dose and is three tablets per day. If treatment for giardia (intestinal and hepatic parasites) is necessary, adults and children over ten years of age drink the medication in exactly the same amount as with trichomoniasis. If the baby is less than ten, but more than six years old, you should give him one and a half tablets daily, and a crumb from two to five - only one. It is important to remember that children (especially very young) should not be given the entire volume of the drug at once, it should be divided into two doses.
If it is necessary not to drink pills, but to give injections, then you need to use the medication intravenously (patients can be prescribed this treatment from the age of twelve) at intervals of eight hours no more than four grams per day. Droppers are prescribed for no more than a week or ten days. It is very important to check that the solution remaining after the procedure (of course, if this happens) is not used again - this is strictly forbidden.
As for the cream and gels, the means for external use must be applied twice a day in the morning and evening to the desired area of the skin with a thin layer for several weeks (usually from three to six). It is recommended to alternate them, as well as use in conjunction with antibiotics. But the vaginal gel is injected into the vagina (also twice a day), but for only five days. In the same way they act with suppositories. The instructions for Metronidazole say that candles should be inserted as deep as possible, with a sharp tip forward. Treatment is carried out within seven to ten days (depending on the disease; according to this, the necessary dosage of the medication is also selected).
You can store the drug for three years in a dry and dark place that is not accessible to babies.
Warnings and Warnings
- There is sodium in the Metronidazole solution, so prescribing injections to patients who are prone to edema requires increased attention and caution.
- Urine may become darker during use of the medication.
- When treated with Metronidazole, you should refuse to take alcohol at the same time. You can not drink alcohol in the next two days after the last use of the drug.
- In case of prolonged treatment, it is necessary to regularly monitor the state of the blood (through tests).
- In the treatment of trichomoniasis should refrain from sexual activity. Moreover, both sexual partners must undergo treatment at the same time.
- Menstruation is not a reason for stopping treatment (in the case of using vaginal funds).
- Using Metronidazole externally, you must be careful not to get it in your eyes, if necessary, thoroughly and very thoroughly rinse them with water.
Interaction with other medicines
One of the important factors in the use of a particular drug is its interaction with other drugs - after all, there are cases when you have to drink several drugs at the same time. What is the drug compatibility of Metronidazole?
This medication is completely incompatible with disulfiram and / or ethanol - with their combination, psychoses arise. If you drink "Metronidazole" at the same time as funds containing lithium salts, kidney damage may occur. Astemizole in combination with the aforementioned medicine gives problems from the side of the heart - for example, arrhythmia.
As mentioned above, amoxicillin should not be drunk at the same time with metronidazole to anyone under the age of eighteen. But for adults, the combination of these drugs in some cases is highly indicated. In the treatment of gastritis or ulcers, the combination of these drugs gives an enhanced positive effect, since both of them improve the effect of each other. In addition, these medicines are used together to eliminate chlamydia. Due to their effects on each other and on the body as a whole, the risk that the bacteria that have settled in the body develop immunity to antibiotics is practically nullified.
Analogues of the drug
First of all, it is necessary to say about such a medicine as Trichopolum. This is perhaps the most common drug in the list of analogues of Metronidazole. It is almost identical to Metronidazole, the difference is only in some effect on the body. Both Trichopolum and its analogue are prescribed in the same cases, but the first is considered more modern than the second and has fewer contraindications. It does not affect the digestive system so much, it is absorbed faster, and yet it costs a bit more.
Analogues of Metronidazole include a drug such as Ornidazole. He has exactly the same mechanism of influence, but a slightly different composition. Among its advantages, a shorter treatment period can be distinguished, and among the disadvantages a more severe effect on the body.
Derived from Metronidazole is a drug with a similar name - Metrogil. He is similar to his "brother", but he has a lot of contraindications and side effects from the nervous system. That is why people suffering from any diseases in this area (especially epileptics) are strictly forbidden to use this medication.
Among the analogues of the above drug should be mentioned “Bacimex” (often used as a solution), “Flagil” (there are tablets, suppositories and gel), “Trichosept” (vaginal gel), “Rosamet” (cream and ointment), “Mykozhinaks” (vaginal pills) and so on.
Metronidazole: reviews
As is often the case with any other medicines, the reviews for this medication are completely different. It helped someone, on the contrary, it didn’t. Someone would recommend it for use, someone in no case. As they say, the taste and color markers are different.
So, among the positive reviews about "Metronidazole" there are references to the relatively inexpensive cost of the medication - this is often a decisive factor in choosing between similar drugs. Another indisputable advantage of the drug is the quickly achieved effect of the treatment.Reviews of "Metronidazole" note that the summary of the drug is understandable, while many medicines cannot boast of this. People say this is the first remedy in a home medicine cabinet to fight diarrhea.
Negative reviews of Metronidazole contain comments on its strong side effects. Nausea, bitterness in the mouth, dizziness is not a complete list of what people describe. It is noteworthy that both those who respond positively to the drug and those who speak out negatively recommend not to self-medicate, but to take the medicine exclusively as prescribed by the doctor, or at least after a detailed consultation.
The answer to the question about what is being treated with Metronidazole has been found, and contraindications, side effects of the drug, and its dosage are known. And whether to use it or not is up to everyone to decide.