Hypertension is one of the most common diseases of the cardiovascular system. Every year, patients at different ages are increasingly given this diagnosis. There are many drugs that lower blood pressure and intracranial pressure, but many of them have a large number of side effects. Mikardis tablets have a minimum of adverse reactions and are an excellent alternative to the more expensive Telmisartan.
The drug is produced in the form of tablets, which are placed in blisters. Each tablet contains 20, 40 or 80 milligrams of the active substance, which is telmisartan. In our article, we will consider detailed instructions for the use of Mikardis. In addition, we will get acquainted with the indications for its use and study the composition. In the end, we find out what people write in the reviews about taking these pills, and find out whether it is compatible with alcohol.
Hypertension Remedy
In the modern world, heart attacks and strokes cause nearly seventy percent of all deaths. To date, seven out of ten people die due to blockages in the arteries of the heart or brain. Especially frightening is the fact that many people do not even suspect that they suffer from hypertension. Many patients because of this miss the opportunity to fix something, thereby condemning themselves to certain death.
In this regard, you can not be indifferent to your health and neglect regular medical examinations by doctors. And in the event that hypertension is detected, it is necessary to take all measures for its treatment. An especially effective tool for the treatment of this disease today is a drug called "Mikardis".
General information about the drug
This drug is considered several times more effective than Losartan. According to the instructions, Mikardis is a fat-soluble medicine. It has good absorption, it is perfectly absorbed into the tissues of the body, and there is no difference when, what and how much a person ate. The drug, as a rule, begins to be absorbed after an hour and a half. As for pressure, it begins to fall three hours after taking the pill. This is the main action of Mikardis. The drug does not create conditions for the formation of active metabolites. From the human body, the drug is excreted in the bile.
This medicine is indicated, including for patients who suffer from kidney failure. According to the instructions for use, "Mikardis" is not prescribed to people with a sick liver, and in addition, those who have problems with the biliary tract. Those patients with moderate renal failure may take no more than 40 milligrams per day.
Method of application and effect of the drug
As the instruction to Mikardis indicates, taking the medicine is required once a day, regardless of the meal. The daily dosage is 40 milligrams. With initial hypertension, treatment begins with 20 milligrams, in severe forms, the amount of medication can be increased to 160 milligrams.
The effectiveness of this drug depends on the dosage. If you increase the daily dosage from 20 to 80 milligrams, this will mean that the pressure drops twice. Increasing the dosage of Mikardis to more than 80 milligrams is undesirable, as this will not contribute to an even greater decrease in pressure. The maintenance dosage of the drug is 40 milligrams per day. After one month of taking the drug, the pressure in a person usually returns to normal. The main thing is to observe the dosage of Mikardis.
In the event that the patient has an initial stage of hypertension, it is prudent to buy a drug with a dosage of 40 milligrams and take half a tablet a day (that is, 20 milligrams). If a person has a chronic form, then take 40 milligrams.
The composition of "Mikardis"
So, the presented drug consists of telmisartan, which is the active component. In addition, substances in the form of hydrochlorothiazide, polyvidone, sodium hydroxide, meglumine, magnesium stearate and sorbitol are included as auxiliary agents in Mikardis.
What are the indications of Mikardis?
Indications for use
Indications for the use of angiotensin blockers suggest that the patient has heart failure and nephropathy, which appears as a complication of high blood pressure and diabetes. According to the instructions, the drug is taken to achieve the following goals:
- Treatment of high blood pressure.
- Prevention of heart and vascular diseases.
Contraindications
According to the instructions, "Mikardis" can not be taken in the following cases:
- During pregnancy.
- During the period of breastfeeding.
- If the patient has bile duct obstruction.
- Against the background of severe disorders in the functioning of the liver and kidneys.
- In the presence of an allergy to the components of the drug, since fructose is present in the composition of the drug.
- With intolerance to telmisartan, which is the main component of the described drug.
- In childhood, up to eighteen years old.
Those planning a pregnancy should change “Mikardis” to more sparing medications. In the event that the patient suddenly discovers the first signs of pregnancy, then she should immediately stop taking the drug.
What else does the instruction for use with Mikardis tell us?
When is it necessary to drink the drug with caution?
In accordance with the attached instructions for use, the drug "Mikardis" should be taken with caution and under the strict supervision of a doctor to those people who suffer from the following diseases:
- Coronary heart disease.
- Stenosis of both renal arteries.
- Chronic heart failure.
- Stenosis of the heart valves.
- Cardiomyopathy or renal hypertension.
- Hyperkalemia
- Renal dysfunction with organ transplantation.
- Violation of the outflow of bile.
- Liver dysfunction.
- Diabetes.
- Dehydration on the background of food poisoning. It is worth noting that in this case, the loss of fluid must be restored immediately before taking Mikardis. The instruction confirms this.
A medicine that prolongs life
Mikardis is essentially a sartan, or angiotensin receptor blocker. This remedy is used to treat high blood pressure. The principle of action of sartans is that the kidneys produce renin after their intake, which transforms the inactive form of angiotensinogen into angiotensin-1, which dilates blood vessels and is a diuretic. Following in the body there is a whole chain of various reactions that prevent hypertension.
Thus, blood pressure soon returns to normal if it has been elevated. And precisely because of this, the life of a patient who suffers from hypertension and cardiac, as well as vascular diseases, is significantly extended.
Below we consider the analogues of Mikardis.
Drug Analogs
Mikardis tablets are manufactured in Austria, and therefore the price of Mikardis is quite high and reaches one thousand rubles per package, in which there are twenty-eight pills. But there are cheaper analogues of this medication, which are produced in Russia, we are talking about “Angiakand”, “Blocktran”, “Aprovel”, “Candesartan”, “Atakanda”, “Lozartan”, “Cozaar”, “Lozape”, “ Valse ”and“ Valsartan ”.
All of the above drugs have the same therapeutic effect as Mikardis, but differ in dosage and composition. These analogues are cheaper, from about one hundred and thirty rubles per package. Among the imported analogues of Mikardis, it is worth mentioning such drugs as Telmista along with Teseo, Priitor, Twinsta, Telpres, Telsartan, Tsart and Hipotel.
Telmista is an antihypertensive drug. Available in tablet form. The active substance of the drug telmisartan, which has antihypertensive properties, is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist.
It is indicated for arterial hypertension; high risk of diseases of the cardiovascular system at the age of more than 55 years. Contraindicated in severe forms of impaired liver function; bile duct obstruction; combined use with aliskiren in patients with severe or moderate renal failure or diabetes mellitus; deficiency of lactase / sucrose / isomaltase, fructose intolerance, glucose-galactose malabsorption; pregnancy and the lactation period; under the age of 18; individual hypersensitivity to telmisartan or any of the auxiliary ingredients of the medication.
The cost of German-made drugs with the same therapeutic effect, as well as medicines of Hungarian and Polish manufacturers, as a rule, is several times higher than Russian substitutes for Mikardis. But it is worth noting that today there are no Russian medicines with a similar active substance.
Comparison with other medicines
Many patients often wonder what is better to take - "Lorista" or "Mikardis"? Both of these drugs effectively reduce pressure, but the active ingredient in them is completely different. The cost is also different. For example, the medicine “Lorista” costs about three hundred rubles, while “Mikardis” costs customers three times more.
Comparing "Mikardis" with "Valz", it is worth noting that the latter drug is also much cheaper. Valz costs about three hundred rubles. But they use it as part of the treatment of chronic heart failure. It can also be used to treat patients who have suffered a stroke or heart attack.
Often people also try to compare Mikardis with Lisinopril. It must be said that these drugs belong to different groups of drugs. These medicines contain completely different active substances, and in addition, the mechanism of their effect on the human body is also different. "Lisinopril" acts as an ACE inhibitor and in addition causes a greater number of various adverse reactions. This substitute is produced in Russia, and its average price is about one hundred and twenty rubles.
You should also compare Mikardis with Concor. The presented drugs also have a different mechanism of action. "Concor" is effective not only if the patient has hypertension, but also against the background of ischemia and heart failure. Both of these drugs are well tolerated by patients, subject to dosages. Concor has German production, and the cost is three hundred and fifty rubles.
It is important to note that after discontinuation of treatment with Mikardis, patients do not experience withdrawal syndrome, and arterial parameters, in turn, slowly return to their previous values. It should also be emphasized that Mikardis is an effective antihypertensive medication that is well tolerated by patients. In addition, this medicine has a small number of contraindications.
But the presented medicine has a high cost, so with long-term treatment, many patients try to find worthy cheap analogues. In this regard, it is necessary to recall that only a doctor can replace drugs, the fact is that even generics do not always have a similar therapeutic effect.
Side effects of Mikardis
The medication, as indicated in the instructions for use of the drug, has a number of all kinds of side effects that occur infrequently, but can nevertheless be observed. We are talking about diarrhea, myalgia, dizziness, depression, increased anxiety, the appearance of pain in the sternum and an unproductive cough. In addition, the occurrence of swelling of the mucous membranes is likely along with anemia, urticaria and pruritus.
What is the compatibility of Mikardis and alcohol?
Can I combine with alcohol?
During treatment, drinking alcohol, and in addition, taking any medications that include ethanol, is strictly prohibited. With this combination, extremely serious side effects and conditions can occur.
Consider the reviews of Mikardis.
Reviews of cardiologists about the drug
Reviews by cardiologists about this medication are mostly positive. According to doctors, if you do not violate the dosage and before use pass the necessary examination for the presence of diseases that are contraindications to the use of Mikardis, then the effect will certainly be.
Experts write that the treatment with this medication in most cases takes place without any serious side effects. In medical comments, it is emphasized that even if adverse reactions appear, they proceed in an extremely weak form. Cardiologists note the minimal effect of this drug on the heart rhythm. Among other things, experts note the high effectiveness of the presented medicine, even against the background of chronic hypertension.
Additionally, doctors in reviews of "Mikardis" report that, subject to the correct regimen for taking these pills, the drug produces a prolonged effect on the patient's body, which lasts up to forty-eight hours.
Patient Reviews
About the drug "Mikardis" reviews from patients are also very good. The only drawback of this German medication, according to people, is its exorbitant cost. The price of the drug, as previously noted, is one thousand rubles. Of course, such a price will not suit everyone. In particular, pensioners who have to spend huge amounts of money on their treatment every month complain about this circumstance.
Among the positive reviews about this drug there are comments that the treatment of "Mikardis" is accompanied by a comfortable reception. So, it is enough to drink only one tablet once a day, so that the rest of the day you feel good and walk with normal pressure. Patients, like doctors, confirm that any serious side effects associated with the use of this drug are extremely rare.
Among other things, people report that thanks to Mikardis they managed to get rid of dizziness and sudden surges in pressure. It is noted that already a month after regular intake, the pressure stops jumping and becomes completely normal. Consumers also praise this drug for helping to lower blood pressure without any damage to heart rate.
Some patients in their reviews report that they take the drug "Mikardis" in combination with other medicines to reduce blood pressure. In particular, those patients who suffer from chronic forms of hypertension adhere to such treatment regimens. Consumers write that in this case, Mikardis copes well with its task, but sometimes the skin itches on the palms.