Antibiotic treatment has long been familiar in our modern world. It’s even hard to imagine how our ancestors did without such drugs, because many bacteria and microorganisms, falling into the human body, can cause serious diseases. In some cases, they are fatal. That is why it is necessary to consult a doctor on time and drink the medicines prescribed by him, including antibiotics. Today they are very widely produced by pharmaceutical companies. The most effective are considered antibiotics for injections. They begin to act faster and do not irritate the gastrointestinal tract. The drug "Amikacin" (radar) belongs to the group of antibiotics, which are indicated for use even by children. Because of this, he is widely prescribed by therapists and pediatricians. We will describe in detail this antibiotic of the aminoglycoside group and talk about its indications and contraindications.
Brief description of the drug
A little earlier we already specified that Amikacin belongs to the antibiotics of the aminoglycoside group. The drug is considered semi-synthetic, which means it causes a small number of side effects.
The popularity of this tool was ensured by its properties. The main one is the slow adaptation of bacteria and microorganisms to the main active substance. Even after frequent treatment with this agent, bacteria do not have time to develop resistance to it.
With the introduction of Amikacin into the body, it quickly penetrates the cell membrane of microbes. The active substance interacts with the protein of bacteria. As a result, its synthesis is disrupted. After some time, microorganisms die, and usually this happens in one to two days of treatment.
Features of the drug
After the injection of Amikacin, it very quickly penetrates into all tissues of the body. If you injected the medicine intravenously, then its highest concentration will be reached in thirty minutes. With intramuscular administration, the same effect will occur only after one hour.
Approximately twelve hours, the effect of the medication is retained. After this period of time, the injection of Amikacin must be repeated. It is noteworthy that the metabolism of the drug in the body does not occur. It is excreted in a slightly altered form through the kidneys in all categories of patients. In adults, this process takes about four hours. But for kids, everything happens much more slowly - up to eight hours. Therefore, it is not surprising that in patients with a history of kidney disease, the elimination process in some cases takes up to one hundred hours.
The action of "Amikacin" extends to gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. If we consider this issue in more detail, then we can say that the antibiotic very effectively copes with the following microorganisms:
- E. coli;
- Salmonella
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa;
- pseudomonads;
- shigella and so on.
These bacteria are gram-negative. The group of gram-positive microorganisms includes:
- staphylococci;
- streptococci;
- enterococci.
However, it is worth adding that in relation to the last two bacteria, the antibiotic is not too active. Most often, Amikacin (radar) is used in these cases as adjunctive therapy. It just complements other medicines.
Keep in mind that the drug "Amikacin" can not cope with anaerobic bacteria. Therefore, it is not prescribed even for a supportive effect as part of complex therapy.
Structure
"Amikacin" (radar) refers to drugs that do not have a large number of components. The active substance is amikacin sulfate. It is contained in all forms of drug release and ensures its effectiveness.
We can say that the additional components that ensure the ingress of the main substance into the tissues of the body play the role of a vehicle. These components include:
- water
- sodium disulfate;
- sodium citrate.
All of these substances are completely safe for humans and very rarely cause an allergic reaction.
Release form and dosage
The drug is produced by the manufacturer in only two forms: powder and solution. Amikacin solution can be prepared from the powder. Injections in this case are done after diluting the contents of the vial with Novocain or Lidocain. Typically, this type of drug is packaged in glass bottles. Their volume does not exceed ten milliliters. The average cost of a bottle ranges from fifty rubles.
Actively appoints Amikacin doctors in ampoules. They contain a ready-made solution that does not need to be diluted with anything. Ampoules can go on sale in volumes of two and four milliliters. Their average cost does not exceed one hundred rubles. In cardboard packages there are five or ten ampoules of the antibiotic.
If we talk about the dosage of Amikacin (radar), then it is worth knowing that in one milliliter of the solution there are two hundred and fifty milligrams of the active substance. In each bottle with a powder form of an antibiotic, one gram of the active substance
Indications for the use of "Amikacin"
The range of use of the drug is extremely wide. First of all, it is prescribed in cases of detection of infectious and inflammatory diseases. They are perfectly treated with the drug even in the most severe cases.
The list of indications for the use of Amikacin includes infections after surgery. Similar situations are encountered in medicine quite often and significantly complicate the patient’s recovery process.
Sepsis can also be treated with this antibiotic. This is indicated in his instructions for use, but the treatment regimen is usually a doctor. Doing it yourself, especially in such severe cases, is strictly prohibited.
With infectious lesions of the lungs and bronchi, the therapist is likely to prescribe this drug. It will help with bronchitis, pneumonia and other diseases.
Amikacin very effectively copes with such severe cases as peritonitis. Also, a course of treatment with this antibiotic is prescribed for almost all infectious infections of the abdominal cavity.
Infections of the genitourinary system also respond to Amikacin. The treatment of such diseases (and we are talking about cystitis, urethritis, pyelonephritis and other problems) is usually long and accompanied by a host of unpleasant symptoms.
The instructions for use indicate several more diseases that are subject to treatment with the drug we describe. These include infections of the biliary tract, nervous system and skin. Of the most severe pathologies, meningitis and purulent infections of the skin can be distinguished.
Who should not be prescribed Amikacin?
This antibiotic in injections has a rather modest list of contraindications, which is surprising for drugs belonging to similar groups. Therefore, it is widely prescribed, but it is still worthwhile to study contraindications so as not to harm your health.
Of course, you should not use the drug if you have an allergy to its components. Also, you definitely have to refuse treatment in cases of serious kidney problems. Such diseases make it difficult to remove the drug from the body, which causes its accumulation and intoxication.
For expectant mothers, the drug should not be prescribed in any situations. During breastfeeding, Amikacin is also not indicated.
There are problems in which pediatricians prescribe the drug to infants (for example, treatment of sepsis). However, premature babies cannot be injected with an antibiotic. Only in situations of life threatening an infant can a doctor decide on the course of treatment with Amikacin.
In a patient with facial neuritis, the drug is prescribed with great care. If possible, the doctor will refuse such a risky treatment. But under certain circumstances it can still be carried out.
Some nuances of treatment
Judging by the instructions for use, Amikacin is suitable for intramuscular administration, intravenous, drip and jet. The method listed above is selected only by the attending physician. It comes from all indications and the severity of the disease.
In the process of treatment, the patient must undergo weekly examinations in order to monitor the condition of the kidneys. Also, special attention must be paid to hearing testing. Its severity can significantly decrease. This is especially true in the treatment of children. If such problems are identified, the antibiotic must be canceled.
Therapists who diagnose patients with infectious diseases prescribe the introduction of the drug in the form of infusions. This can be done intravenously through a syringe or dropper. In the first embodiment, the introduction should be slow, and in the second within sixty minutes.
You can also enter the medicine and intramuscularly. Most often, a powder form is used for these purposes, but they are mixed with saline. It is worth considering that an injection of an antibiotic causes pain. With a quick introduction, it may not resolve, which will cause a number of unpleasant sensations.
Drug dosage
For each age, the attending physician will select a dosage based on a combination of factors. However, each specialist adheres to general recommendations.
When infections are detected in newborn infants, it is necessary to calculate the dosage based on the baby's body weight: for every kilogram, ten milligrams of the antibiotic. This dosage is maintained during the first days of treatment. Then you need to recalculate the dose of the drug: seven and a half milligrams per kilogram of the child’s weight. Usually, children are given two injections per day.
A similar dosage is prescribed for babies up to six years. At this age, an interval of twelve hours between injections of the drug should be clearly observed.
Children from six to twelve years of age can be injected in eight hours. But in this case, it is necessary to calculate the right amount of medicine based on five milligrams per kilogram of weight.
From twelve years of age, the concentration of active substances in the body should not exceed one and a half grams per day. The dosage is calculated as follows: for one kilogram of the patient’s weight, five to fifteen milligrams of the substance is taken.
The course of treatment can be from five to fourteen days. This period is usually enough to completely solve health problems. However, in especially severe cases, you can inject the antibiotic through a six-hour interval. This is done intramuscularly.
It is worth clarifying that in case of serious need for patients with renal failure, the drug can be administered, but subject to certain conditions. Firstly, the dosage should be reduced to a minimum. Secondly, the interval between injections must be made maximum. Thirdly, the introduction should be extremely slow. Adults need to do this for an hour and a half, and children - two.
Use of the drug for children
Doctors prescribe antibiotics to children not only intravenously or intramuscularly. Amikacin has proven effective in treating children in the form of inhalations. It is proved that this method allows you to achieve almost instant action of the drug. Moreover, its active components immediately penetrate the affected organs of the respiratory system. Up to seventy percent of the substance that has got into the body settles on them.
Inhalation is recommended to be done one and a half hours after a meal. At the end of the procedure, the child should not actively move and go outside for at least fifteen minutes. Up to five inhalations are given per day. At this frequency, six days of treatment is sufficient. It happens that the result is already achieved in three days.
A solution for inhalation is prepared by mixing an antibiotic and distilled water. One procedure will require five hundred milligrams of Amikacin and three milligrams of water.
Feasible side effects
During treatment, patients rarely experience adverse reactions. Most often, the injections are well tolerated by the body. This applies even to infants and the elderly. However, in some cases, side effects are still possible, and the doctor should warn the patient about them.
Since the antibiotic penetrates the body by intramuscular and intravenous administration, the digestive system rarely suffers during treatment. But some patients complained of nausea, vomiting, and liver problems.
Great troubles bring sick reactions of the nervous system. It gives headaches, irritability, increased drowsiness. Also, the patient may feel numbness and tingling in the limbs. Sometimes these symptoms are accompanied by muscle twitching. In the most extreme case, respiratory arrest occurs.
If the patient has some problems with the hematopoietic system, antibiotic treatment can provoke anemia of any severity.
The patient’s hearing is particularly affected by Amikacin. Moreover, in a certain group of patients, the situation reaches an irreversible stage. In parallel, problems with coordination of movements are likely to occur.
They ate about allergic reactions, then they are manifested by itching, redness of the skin, swelling and other unpleasant symptoms. Sometimes side effects occur at the injection site. The patient feels pain for a long time, which can then be transformed into dermatitis. Phlebitis is possible.
Overdose symptoms
Any drug if used incorrectly will cause an overdose. This is especially likely with antibiotic treatment. You can find out that you have exceeded the dosage by a number of symptoms.
Initially, the problem makes you aware of nausea, abdominal pain, severe headaches and a complete loss of appetite. In the case of Amikacin, this will be accompanied by hearing impairment and possible seizures.
Help the patient at home is impossible. If you notice overdose symptoms in your loved ones, immediately call a team of doctors or take the person to the hospital yourself. There he will have hemodialysis. Another way to rid him of an excessive amount of antibiotic in the body is impossible.
Analogs of Amikacin
Sometimes the patient can not take this antibiotic for one reason or another. Then analogues come to the rescue. Amikacin has a lot of them, and all of them are effective and cope with a large number of infectious diseases.
Of the most common diseases, one can name Amikabol and Amiksin. Hemacin and Lycacin also performed well.
To summarize
Patients treated with Amikacin claim to be surprised at its effectiveness and cost. Many did not even suspect that on the second day of treatment, they would notice an improvement in their condition with such an inexpensive and simple means.
Moreover, most patients write that they did not notice any side effects. They led a normal lifestyle and felt good.
In general, the antibiotic interacts well with other drugs. Therefore, therapists prescribe it as part of complex therapy. The only restriction concerns diuretics. They significantly reduce the effectiveness of Amikacin, which provokes an increase in the daily dosage to the maximum permissible.