Everyone has probably heard of a drug like Salbroxol. This is one of the best and most affordable tablets that can quickly and efficiently normalize the production of bronchial mucus and sputum, improve its withdrawal from the bronchus and even prevent the recurrence of cramping in the bronchi. Two active substances at once, sulbutamol and ambroxol, contain “Salbroxol” tablets. The instruction for use should be carefully studied by everyone who plans to be treated with it, since this drug has a number of specific features, as well as contraindications, which you must be aware of.
Pharmacological action of the drug
As already mentioned, "Salbroxol" (tablets), the instruction for the drug confirms this fact, contains the following necessary active ingredients:
- Ambroxol is a well-known substance that can, in a short time of application, normalize the production and composition of bronchial mucous secretions. How is this done? Active components normalize the ratio between the main components of the mucus - the serous component and the mucous component. That is, the mucus secreted by the bronchi becomes more liquid, its viscosity decreases, and sputum with cough goes easily.
- Sulbutamol is the second component of the drug "Salbroxol" (tablets). The instruction confirms that the action of this substance is aimed at reducing spasms in the bronchi, as the elements of sulbutamol reduce the tone of the smooth muscle layer in the bronchi. Sulbutamol is an ideal alternative to other types of beta-2 adrenergic receptors, since it does not produce a chronotropic effect on the myocardium.
These substances are perfectly absorbed by the intestinal tissues, due to which the medicine "Salbroxol" (tablets) acts, the instructions and reviews of the patients also confirm this fact, it begins already half an hour from the moment of administration. The duration of the therapeutic effect of one tablet varies between 6-12 hours.
Main indications
Not many respiratory diseases can be cured by taking Salbroxol. The instruction for use of the tablet in the list of indications for use presents us with the following diseases:
- Chronic bronchitis (including if the patient has obstruction).
- Bronchial asthma. With such a disease, self-medication can be dangerous. Use Salbroxol (tablets), instructions and patient reviews confirm this fact, it is worthwhile only after prior consultation with a specialist.
- Emphysema. Also, you should not independently assign medicines for this disease for yourself. Visit a doctor and ask if Salbroxol (tablets) is suitable for treatment in your case.
Instructions and method of use
As with most drugs, there are specific recommendations for Salbroxol regarding its mode of use. It is necessary to take Salbroxol orally. Instructions for use of the tablet mean that the person to whom treatment with this drug is assigned will take it separately from food. In this case, the interval between the accepted and subsequent dose should be within 6 hours or more. As for the duration of the treatment period, it all depends on the severity of the disease, which can only be determined by a practicing physician, and based on the data obtained, he will be able to make an ideal treatment course for the patient with Salbrxol (tablets).
The instruction for children implies a more gentle way of use than for adult patients. For an adult and a teenager (that is, for a child who is already over 12 years old), an acceptable dose of the drug may be 1 tablet. For one day, the drug should vary within 3-4 times. Only by the decision of the attending physician in special cases with serious exacerbations of diseases for an adult, the dose can be immediately increased up to 2 tablets at a time. But the maximum allowable dose of the drug should reach only 8 tablets per day and not exceed this limit.
The reason for the dose reduction may be side effects, which begin to be pronounced after treatment with the use of the drug "Salbroxol" (tablets) has begun. The instruction and doses are described in detail for such cases - they should be half as much as previously taken by the patient.
Let's talk about analogues
Today, a fairly large number of drugs are also able to fight diseases that are associated with the bronchi, not only Salbroxol (tablets). Of course, he does not name the instructions, but practicing physicians provide our attention with an impressive list of drugs with a similar type of effect on the body. If we talk about the most popular and affordable medicines analogues of Salbroxol, then the following are worth mentioning:
- "Tetracycline";
- Abrol
- Ketotifen;
- "Travisil";
- "Alteyka";
- Fluditec;
- Gedelin
- "Bromhexine";
- "Cook Syrup."
Doctors respond only positively to all of the above drugs, the effect of which is aimed at treating respiratory diseases, and their price is not too high, so even a person with a low income can buy such a medicine.
Although analogous drugs seem to act on the human body, it is not worth attributing this or that medicine to yourself, since they differ not only in name, but also in composition, proportion of the ratio of active substances, as well as indications. Only your doctor can decide to replace one drug with another.
What side effects are we talking about?
The medicine "Salbroxol" (tablets), instructions for use and patient reviews confirm this information, in the vast majority of cases it is well tolerated by patients and does not cause any of the possible side effects of treatment.
Cases in which side effects are observed are single, but it is worth knowing as much information as possible about this factor before starting treatment using Salbroxol (tablets).
The instructions, reviews of practitioners and patients themselves confirm the fact that sometimes dizziness and a mild headache are observed after taking the drug.
Cramps in the limbs or a feeling of lethargy and weakness in them are also options for side effects.
The reaction of the cardiovascular system to the drug may be in the form of expansion of peripheral vessels, but it quickly passes, so there is no need to cancel the drug or reduce the dose for such manifestations.
Reduced blood pressure, which is accompanied by tachycardia, is a very rare side effect, but nevertheless it has occurred in several patients.
Side effects in the form of allergic reactions (urticaria or itching, local rashes on the skin) are also mentioned.
If a person has a weak digestive tract, the body can respond not only to vomiting and nausea, but also to a moderate decrease in appetite or problems with stools when Salbroxol is taken. But such side effects were extremely rare, although you must inform your doctor about them, who is going to ascribe Salbroxol (tablets) to you.
The instruction describes the side effects in full. If the patient has reactions of a different kind than the above, their cause may be taking another drug that the patient takes in parallel with Salbroxol.
A number of contraindications to be aware of
Like any other medication, it has its own number of contraindications and Salbroxol (tablets). The instructions and description of the drug, which are given above, make it clear that it is definitely not worth using this medicine for those people who have previously been diagnosed with intolerance to substances such as ambroxol and sulbutamol. But the list of contraindications is not limited to these data. It is worth refusing treatment with these pills also in the following cases:
- if the patient is diagnosed with diseases such as lactase deficiency, glucose-galactose malabsorption syndrome, galactosemia;
- problems of the cardiovascular system, such as myocarditis, arterial hypertension, tachyarrhythmia, acute heart failure and heart defects are contraindications for taking this drug;
- a stomach ulcer or an ulcer in the duodenum - the basis for abandoning Salbroxol;
- if the patient suffers from diabetes mellitus, glaucoma or hyperthyroidism - he also should not take "Salbroxol";
- for children who have not yet reached the age of 12, it is better to replace this drug with durgim;
- if the patient has reduced renal function, take a drug such as Salbroxol, it is necessary with constant tight monitoring by the attending physician.
What to do during pregnancy and lactation?
According to the instructions for the drug, Salbroxol can not be used during pregnancy (especially in the first trimester), even under strict medical supervision. This medicine should be replaced by an analogue, since the combination of abroxol and salbutamol is strictly contraindicated in women who have a baby.
Moreover, even during pregnancy planning, it is worth excluding the use of this drug, as this can harm the normal course of a planned pregnancy.
Breastfeeding and Salbroxol are incompatible as well. If it is not possible to replace these pills with another drug, in which it will be safe to breastfeed the child and which can help cure the patient’s disease, the doctor must warn the woman that lactation must be interrupted during the period of taking the drug.
Reviews of doctors and patients on the interaction of Salbroxol with other drugs
There is a whole list of drugs, in a duet with which to prescribe Salbroxol (tablets), the instructions and description of the medication confirm this fact, it is strictly forbidden.
So, for example, a combination of anti-cough and Salbroxol drugs will only harm the patient, therefore it is strictly forbidden to prescribe them together. If you call specific antitussive drugs, which Salbroxol is not compatible with, according to medical reviews, it is worth recalling those that contain libexin, codeine and glaucin.
Glucocorticosteroids and drugs that contain glucocorticosteroid drugs are also incompatible with Salbroxol, since their interaction leads to a serious increase in the risk of hypokalemia.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors, which are contained in some preparations, should not be taken with the constituent of Salbroxol, sulbutamol, so their parallel administration is extremely undesirable, as this can cause accelerated development of collapse.
Symptoms of an overdose of the drug
If the patient is self-medicating or does not comply with the conditions and dosages of the drug recommended by the attending physician, it is likely that the body will react negatively to such drug experiments. As a result, certain symptoms may occur, which is the result of excessive communication of the active substances. The most common symptoms of an overdose of this drug are as follows:
- quite pronounced pressing lobes in the chest area;
- acceleration of the rate of contractions of the heart muscles;
- trembling of fingers, hands, lower extremities;
- arrhythmia.
Such symptoms are observed only in those patients for whom the dose of the medication taken was not too exceeded. If we talk about a more serious overdose, then it will manifest itself in the form of the following symptoms:
- a sharp decrease in blood pressure;
- severe cramps;
- sleep disturbance or even insomnia;
- Quincke's edema.
If at least one symptom appears from the list, the patient should independently or with someone else help to wash the stomach. In parallel, you must contact your doctor and report this incident. If you cannot contact your doctor, you need to urgently call an ambulance so that the patient can provide highly qualified care.
How to store Salbroxol?
Storage of the drug "Salbroxol" at home is not difficult, but has a number of features that are worth remembering and be sure to perform. So, the recommendations are as follows:
- they store such a drug as Salbroxol in places to which children cannot reach;
- it is inadmissible for direct sunlight to fall on the medication;
- do not leave tablets in storage in rooms where the level of humidity is increased;
- there are also temperature limits for storage of Salbroxol: it is unacceptable that the temperature in the room in which the drug is stored rise above 25 ° C.
Shelf life
According to the instructions, the shelf life of the medication is three years. This period must be counted from the release date, and not from the date of purchase of the drug in the pharmacy. That is why before buying you need to check the release date. It is also worth regularly conducting an audit in the first-aid kit, which is in your house, and in no case take pills whose expiration date has already expired or on which the expiration date is not visible.
Salbroxol is an excellent drug for the treatment of diseases of the respiratory tract, positive feedback is left not only by patients, but also by practitioners who trust such pills. Due to the fact that it can be found in almost any pharmacy and its price is affordable, Salbroxol will be in demand among our compatriots.