Calcigard Retard (INN Nifedipine) is a calcium channel blocker and is characterized by antianginal and hypotensive pharmacological effects.
The drug shows high efficiency in the fight against arterial hypertension, vasospastic and stable angina pectoris, Raynaud's syndrome and other heart diseases. The tool is able to improve coronary blood flow without inhibiting myocardial conduction.
"Calcigard Retard": description and composition
The drug is available in the form of film-coated tablets.
As the main active substance, it contains nifedipine in its composition. In addition, Calcigard Retard (packaging photo was provided above) includes such auxiliary components as:
- Twin 80;
- starch;
- magnesium stearate;
- polyethylene glycol;
- MCC;
- stearic acid;
- lactose;
- sodium lauryl sulfate.
Tablets are in blisters of 10 pieces. In this case, a pack may contain from 3 to 10 blisters.
The shelf life of the product is three years. It must be stored in a dry and protected from the sun at temperatures up to 30 degrees.
Indications for use
Calcigard Retard tablets can be prescribed for use:
- for relief of angina attacks;
- with crises of a hypertonic type;
- with Raynaud's syndrome;
- during arterial hypertension;
- with coronary disease;
- for the prevention of angina attacks;
- during hypertrophic cardiomyopathy;
- with pulmonary hypertension ;
- during bronchial obstructive syndrome ;
- in the presence of pain in the heart.
Dosage and administration
How to take Calcigard Retard? Instructions for use warns that the required dosage of the drug should be selected by the doctor individually in each case. It will depend on the type and nature of the course of the disease, as well as the possible characteristics of the patient's body.
As a rule, treatment begins with the minimum dose: 10 mg 3 or 4 times a day. If a need arises in the future, it can be increased by 2 times. But such a decision is made only by the attending physician.
During the occurrence of some serious diseases, for example, a severe form of arterial hypertension or variant angina, a single dose may increase for some time to 30 mg, while the frequency of administration will remain the same.
"Calcigard Retard" should be consumed inside, washed down with a small amount of water. But there are situations that can be considered an exception to this rule. For example, for stopping a hypertensive crisis, a sublingual use of the drug is provided (putting a tablet under the tongue). And to eliminate an attack of angina pectoris, the option of intravenous administration of 5 mg every 4-8 hours is possible.
It is important to adhere to the maximum established daily dose of the drug, in order to avoid the manifestation of unforeseen reactions of the body. When taken orally, it is up to 120 mg, and when administered intravenously, up to 30 mg.
Contraindications
There are situations when Calcigard Retard (20 mg) is strictly contraindicated for use. These include cases where the patient has:
- hypersensitivity to the active substance and other components of the drug;
- acute period of myocardial infarction (first 8 days);
- severe arterial hypotension;
- cardiogenic shock;
- tachycardia;
- decompensated heart failure;
- severe aortic stenosis;
- collapse.
In addition, the drug can not be used to treat pregnant women. If there is a need for treatment with this medication during lactation, breastfeeding must be stopped.
Safety and efficacy of the drug in children have not been determined. Therefore, it is worth refraining from administering it to patients under 18 years of age.
special instructions
Calcigard Retard should be used with extreme caution in patients with impaired renal function or in the presence of diabetes mellitus. For older people, a reduction in the daily dose is provided.
During the entire treatment period, complete abstinence from alcohol is necessary.
The drug is able to slightly slow down psychomotor reactions, therefore, its use should be approached with extreme caution to people who, for example, drive vehicles.
The completion of treatment with the drug should occur gradually to avoid the appearance of "withdrawal syndrome."
Side effects
The use of Calcigard Retard tablets can cause many side effects. Some of them are found quite often, while the emergence of others occurs in one case out of a thousand, or even less.
- From the senses and nervous system: headaches, dizziness. Rarely, the use of the drug can provoke a state of stupor, changes in visual perception, impaired sensitivity of the limbs, paresthesia, and sleep problems.
- From the musculoskeletal system: tremor or myalgia are extremely rare.
- From the cardiovascular system: tachycardia, palpitations, flushing of the face and skin, accompanied by a sensation of heat, peripheral edema. Rarely, leukopenia, anemia, asystole, thrombocytopenic purpura, thrombocytopenia, hypotension, pain similar to angina pectoris can occur.
- From the digestive tract: often constipation occurs. Less commonly, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, heartburn. Very rarely, intrahepatic cholestasis or gingival hyperplasia can result from taking the drug.
- Allergic reactions: exanthema, urticaria, pruritus. Very rarely, exfoliative dermatitis can occur.
- From the respiratory system: in very rare cases, bronchospasm is observed.
- From the urinary system: the level of daily urine output may increase. With prolonged use of the drug in large doses, the appearance of impaired renal function.
- Others: at the beginning of treatment, redness and swelling of the legs and arms are quite often observed. Very rarely, the drug can provoke hyperglycemia, gynecomastia, photodermatitis, burning at the injection site (with intravenous administration of the drug), an increase in the number of heart contractions.
Overdose
Exceeding the maximum permitted dose of the drug can cause bradyarrhythmia, bradycardia, arterial hypotension. Particularly severe cases include deceleration of conductivity, collapse.
Additionally, signs of intoxication can occur after at least 3-4 hours in the form of loss of consciousness (in some cases up to coma), hypoxia, cardiogenic shock, seizures, metabolic acidosis, hyperglycemia.
To get rid of the above symptoms, gastric lavage, intake of activated carbon and intravenous administration of norepinephrine, calcium gluconate or calcium chloride in an atropine solution are carried out.
The interaction of the drug with other substances
Before using any drug, it is worthwhile to familiarize yourself not only with its composition, indications and contraindications for use in advance. An important point is its interaction with substances that may be part of other drugs or food. After all, some can enhance the effect of the drug on the body, while others nullify it. The same goes for Calcigard Retard. It can both activate and block the action of certain substances. Consider this issue in the form of brief abstracts:
- ranitidine and cimetidine increase plasma levels;
- diltiazem is able to slow down the metabolism, and as a result, the dose of nifedipine must be reduced;
- grapefruit juice (in large quantities) increases bioavailability;
- diuretics, beta-blockers, nitrates, fentanyl, alcohol, tricyclic antidepressants - enhance the hypotensive effect;
- increases bioavailability of cephalosporins (cefixime);
- enhances the side effects of vincristine (reduces excretion);
- reduces renal clearance of digoxin, increases theophylline activity;
- incompatible with rifampicin (accelerates biotransformation and does not allow creating effective concentrations).
Analogs of means
Are there any remedies that can replace Calcigard Retard? Analogues, of course, are. They can be similar to the main drug in composition (in particular, the active substance) or in the type of action on the body. However, the synonyms of the drug "Calcigard Retard" have their own characteristics and differences. For example, it can be a form of release, method and number of applications, the maximum daily dose, and so on. Therefore, before replacing one drug with another, you need to consult a doctor.
So, the most famous analogues of Calcigard Retard are the following medicines:
- Cordaflex.
- Nyfedex.
- Nifedipine
- "Fenamon."
- Cordipine.
- Kordafen
- Nifelat
- "Phenigidin".
- Adalat.
- Nyfekard.
- Corinfar.
- "Depin".
Reviews about the drug
What do patients say about Calcigard Retard? Reviews exist both positive and negative. Still worth starting with the pros.
Firstly, patients note the high effectiveness of the drug and its wide enough spectrum of action.
Secondly, the very low price of the product (from 50 to 300 rubles, depending on the size of the package) cannot but rejoice.
The only thing that can be considered a significant minus is the appearance of side effects in the form of headaches, nausea, and so on. Although, as practice has shown, after reducing the dose of the drug, all of the above symptoms very quickly disappeared. Therefore, it is possible that the cause of the side effects was precisely the wrong reception.