Tablets "Efferalgan" are effervescent pills in saturated white. The edges are rounded, there is a notch on one of the sides. It is necessary to dissolve in a glass of water, while gas bubbles begin to stand out intensively. Consider the features of the tool in more detail.
Efferalgan: tablet formulation
One piece contains 500 mg of active paracetamol, which acts as the main active ingredient. Among the auxiliary components are also present: sodium carbonate, bicarbonate, docusate sodium, anhydrous acid, povidone and sodium benzoate. It has a pronounced analgesic and antipyretic effect and refers to antipyretic analgesics.
Medical indications
The use of tablets "Efferalgan" is based on their composition. Paracetamol actively eliminates pain and reduces body temperature, so the following may be indications for use:
- Pain of mild to moderate intensity. Helps with headaches, dental, neurological pain, and also relieves discomfort in the lower back and muscles. Helps relieve sore throat, from burns and various injuries.
- Elevated body temperature with infectious pathologies and colds.
It is proved that the drug does not have a negative effect on water-salt metabolism. Due to the lack of an active effect on the synthesis of prostaglandins, there is no negative effect on the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract.
Terms of use
Quite a popular and popular medicine is Efferalgan. Effervescent tablets have a clear instruction where everything is thoroughly spelled out. So, the pill before use must be dissolved in a glass of warm water. The doctor may prescribe a dosage depending on the severity of the condition and general well-being of the patient, however, Efferalgan tablets, confirmation of this, are usually prescribed 2-3 times a day. You can take 1-2 pills at a time. In this case, 1 g of the active substance is recognized as the maximum dosage, which corresponds to two tablets. No more than 4 g of paracetamol can be used per day, which corresponds to 8 pills.
Directions for a Special Patient Group
Tablets "Efferalgan" may be prescribed to the elderly, as well as patients with impaired renal and / or liver function. However, the daily dosage is halved, and the interval between the use of the drug should be at least 8 hours.
Course duration
Efferalgan tablets can be used no more than 5 days. However, this rule applies to self-appointment. A doctor can lengthen a therapeutic course. But it is important for the patient to know the basic rule of taking the medication. If the pills are used to relieve pain, they are allowed to drink for three days. With the continuation of the pain, it is necessary to consult a doctor for appropriate treatment. To relieve fever in infectious and colds, the medicine is allowed for use for five days. Then you should see a doctor if the temperature remains elevated.
What are the possible side effects?
Effective and safe with short-term use of "Efferalgan" effervescent tablets. Instructions for use still contain information about the possible negative consequences of taking. The most typical reactions are allergic. Patients sometimes complain of the appearance of pruritus, skin rash during treatment. In rare cases, Quincke's edema is fixed, which threatens the health and life of the patient.
The circulatory system may also be affected. The active substance of the drug affects blood formation, so anemia, methemoglobinemia and thrombocytopenia can be recorded. However, such symptoms often occur only with too long a course of treatment, regular exceeding the recommended dosage and neglecting the advice of a doctor. Among the side effects, it is worth highlighting the possible malfunctions of the liver and kidneys, so patients with chronic diseases of these organs are subject to observation and regular blood tests during therapy.
Usage Reviews
Quickly eliminates heat and fights Efferalgan pain. Reviews about the pills are quite unambiguous, all patients confirm the effectiveness of the drug, its pleasant taste and the duration of the therapeutic effect.
If you follow the doctor’s recommendations or follow the instructions, then usually the product is well tolerated and does not cause persistent negative effects. Of course, there are also negative reviews in which people indicate the appearance of a rash, redness during treatment. However, such a reaction often becomes the result of exceeding the dosage or individual sensitivity to the incoming components. Also, some are not satisfied with the overpriced cost of the medication, because it is based on the well-known budget paracetamol. But, as practice shows, habitual pills have a less pronounced effect than Efferalgan Upsa - effervescent tablets.
Strict contraindications
In high concentration, paracetamol is contained in an effervescent form of the drug. In addition, multiple auxiliary components are added to it, so the drug has its own limitations on admission. Tablets "Efferalgan" have the following contraindications:
- age up to 15 years and weight less than 50 kg;
- 1st and 3rd trimester of gestation;
- deficiency of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase;
- period of breastfeeding;
- individual susceptibility of any component of the drug.
Patients with renal or hepatic insufficiency can use Efferalgan Upsa, but this should be done with caution and only with the permission of the attending physician. It is also necessary to prescribe this medication with caution to patients with alcohol intoxication of the liver, elderly people and those with a history of viral hepatitis.
Precautions
Paracetamol has a toxic effect on the liver when combined with alcohol. Therefore, during treatment it is important to completely eliminate the consumption of alcohol. It is forbidden to prescribe medicine to patients suffering from chronic alcoholism. If there is alcoholic hepatosis, then the risk of liver damage increases many times.
If you need to use the medication for a long time, you will need clinical monitoring of the condition and functioning of the liver, as well as passing tests to compare the picture of the peripheral blood system.
There are warnings for patients on a low-salt diet. It is known that in a single dose of the drug contains more than 412 mg of sodium. Sorbitol is also present in the pills. Therefore, they are prohibited for use by persons with fructose intolerance and low absorption of glucose and galactose.
Overdose and its consequences
Efferelgan tablets are a powerful drug. Instructions for use contain information on cases of overdose. In this case, the following symptoms occur:
- pallor of the skin and mucous membranes;
- nausea turning into vomiting.
In this case, the intoxication and severity of necrosis directly depends on exceeding the level of the permissible number of tablets used. In adults, negative effects can already occur when paracetamol is used in a dosage of more than 15 g at a time. In this case, after 10 hours, you can observe excessive liver activity, and a detailed clinical picture with all the ensuing consequences - after 1-7 days.
However, sometimes the picture of an overdose manifests itself rapidly. Hepatic insufficiency develops with lightning speed, which is often supplemented by malfunctioning of the kidneys.
First aid for overdose
First aid is important to give the patient as soon as possible. If symptoms were noticed within six hours after taking the pills, it is necessary to rinse the stomach and introduce donors and precursors of glutathione synthesis in a hospital. Further actions are determined by the doctor based on the patient’s condition and his blood tests.
Possible combination in other drugs
It is known that ethanol, phenytoin, phenylbutazone and barbiturates enhance the oxidation of paracetamol in the liver; therefore, preparations based on them can lead to the development of severe intoxication even at minimal dosages. At the same time, cimetidine and other oxidation inhibitors reduce the risk of negative effects of paracetamol on the liver.
"Efferalgan" is not advisable to take at the same time as uricosuric medicines, because there is a significant decrease in the activity of the latter. If you use drugs based on ethanol, then there is a serious risk of developing acute pancreatitis.
Possible analogues
Efferalgan has many structural analogues, that is, containing paracetamol in its basis. However, each drug is designed for a specific list of diseases, can be produced in various forms of release and have incompatible contraindications. Therefore, the decision to prescribe this or that remedy can only be made by a doctor based on the collected history. Among drugs with a similar pharmacological effect, the following are popular:
- Tylenol;
- "Paracetamol";
- Perfalgan;
- Panadol
- "Tsefekon D";
- "Ifimol";
- "Mexalen";
- Aldolor
- "Akamol Teva".
There are children's versions of drugs. On the basis of paracetamol for children, syrups are produced that have a pleasant taste, a convenient measuring spoon or syringe and a low concentration of the active substance.
Conclusion
The medicine refers to first aid medicines and is dispensed in pharmacies without a prescription. However, it is important to always keep the effervescent tablets out of the reach of children's hands. Storage temperature should not exceed 30 degrees. You should choose a dry place, protected from direct sunlight.
Of course, to relieve pain in the muscles, joints, throat and headache, you can use Efferalgan for a short time. He also quickly and permanently eliminates fever, alleviating the general condition for colds and infectious pathologies. However, in severe cases and if long-term treatment is necessary, it is important to consult a doctor. The instructions attached to the drug are provided for review, but may not always be a clear guide to action. In case of any doubts, it is necessary to consult a specialist.