Atacand is a classic drug with the ability to reduce pressure during severe hypertensive attacks. It is produced mainly in a box of 28 tablets in various dosages (from 8 to 32 milligrams). The medication has a characteristic red tint, which allows it to be identified in the mass of medicines in the first-aid kit.
Description
The drug itself, "Candesartan", is available under various trade names: "Irbesartan", "Atakand" - analogues that have similar action, properties and activity. Storage conditions - a dark, dry place away from children. Shelf life is 36 months. According to the reviews of doctors, despite the high cost, this drug showed excellent results, because many cardiologists recommend Atakand. Instructions for use, price, analogues - all this will be discussed in our material.
Structure
Per tablet (depending on labeling):
- Tsileksetil candesartan - from 8 to 32 mg (for example, “Atakand 16 No. 28”).
- Auxiliary components: talc, red dye (in the form of iron oxide), starch and many others that do not have therapeutic effects.
The number after the number in the name indicates the number of tablets in one package, the figure after the name of the drug is the dosage in milligrams. This is especially often indicated on Nortian tablets; analogues may not always provide this information on the package.
Application
It is administered orally once a day as a prophylactic, on an empty stomach. The initial dose is half the lowest dosage (4 mg), in the presence of lesions of the liver and / or kidneys, the initial amount of the drug is reduced by half. Gradually, the dosage of Atacand is increased to 8 milligrams, the largest allowable portion of the medication is 16 mg. The effect lasts from 24 to 36 hours and does not depend on natural indicators: weight, height, age and gender.
Indications for use
The main indication for use is any type of arterial hypertension (commonly referred to as hypertension). Also, additional appointment conditions are:
- Great age (from forty years and older).
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- A predisposition to hypertensive crises, determined by medical records of relatives in past generations.
Contraindications
Candesartan has a small number of contraindications, so it cannot be prescribed to all patients:
- Various forms of liver failure, in particular cholestasis.
- Hypersensitivity to candesartan, which manifests itself in many forms: from urticaria and slight itching to allergic reactions and anaphylactic shock.
- Pregnancy and child feeding - the drug can penetrate the placental barrier and can reduce fetal pressure, disrupting its viability and development.
It has far fewer side effects than Irbesartan. The instruction for use states that he has a much higher chance of provoking side effects: nausea, dizziness. Also, this drug should not be prescribed to children under eighteen years of age.
Side effects
The drug has few side effects compared to medicines of the same class of the first generation:
- From the central nervous system: severe sudden dizziness.
- In the respiratory apparatus: symptoms similar to flu in the initial stage, cough, pharyngitis, rhinitis. The chance of acute respiratory infections is increased.
- From the gastrointestinal tract: pain in the abdomen and pelvis (abdominal pain), possibly provoking peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.
- From the circulatory system - an increase in the appearance of various edema, “cottoniness” of the limbs.
- Often an unusual pain in the lumbar region (lumbalgia) may appear, not accompanied by serious problems in the body.
In case of an overdose, the following symptoms are observed: severe dizziness, disorientation, the appearance of primary symptoms of a sharp drop in pressure (hypotension), such as vomiting, tinnitus, drowsiness, and loss of consciousness. Treatment without complications was observed even when the dose was exceeded to 672 mg (an attempt to reduce life scores by taking 21 Candesartan tablets at a time).
In case of an overdose, control is assigned over the main vital signs (pressure, pulse, brain and respiratory activity), rest and lying position. Sometimes droppers with saline are placed. Hemodialysis does not have the necessary effect: the drug does not precipitate and is not excreted by reagents that cleanse the blood, therefore, it remains in the body and remains toxic for the entire period of action until complete decomposition in the liver, this is especially typical for Irbesartan tablets, the instructions for use describe in detail the rehabilitation method after an overdose.
Interaction with other medicines
Of the significant effects of candesartan with other drugs, the following can be distinguished:
- When taken with potassium-sparing medicines, potassium retention in the body increases.
- A similar situation with lithium-containing drugs.
- The use of painkillers (specifically non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) reduces the main effect of the drug on lowering blood pressure. The risk of impaired renal function increases, in people with renal failure, the potassium content in the blood increases.
Analogs and prices
This drug has many generics that match in properties, but Atakand is considered the best. An analogue of the medication is presented: “Irbesartan”, “Nortian”, “Presartan”. The active substance is the same everywhere. It can also be replaced with Ira-Sanovel tablets. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.
First of all, these medicines have different costs, very different from the Atakand drug. The “Presartan” analogue is the cheapest of this group, its price ranges from 150 to 175 rubles per pack of 30 tablets. The rest are generics: Irbesartan - 410-580 rubles, Nortian - 120-290. Pure Candesartan costs 175 rubles, while Atakand itself costs between 1,300 and 1,500 rubles.
Reviews about the drug
The effect of the drugs in this group develops relatively slowly (two hours before the peak pressure drop, for Captopril - half an hour) and lasts for a long period of time. The peculiarity of the effect on the body makes it convenient to take this drug: “Atakand” must be taken once so that it provides a hypotensive effect (lowering blood pressure) for a full day. The remaining twelve hours - a slow "rollback" of the action, a gradual increase in the systolic and diastolic scales, which is also characteristic of Candesartan tablets. The instructions for use read: the medication is characterized by a good degree of safety, experts note good tolerance.
The proven nephroprotective effect (the ability to protect the kidneys from the toxic effects of the drug) increases with increasing dose. Also, a larger amount of "Atacand" taken does not increase the side effects. This means that the drug can be prescribed for renal failure and nephropathy, for diabetes. Studies have proven the ability to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus and various ailments associated with the cardiovascular system (heart attacks and strokes), this is especially noticeable for a pure medication, which is Candesartan. Instructions for use do not describe this, but such an action has been identified after many surveys.
Atakand (an analogue of Candesartan) is prescribed for older people suffering from coronary heart disease and heart failure. It does not cause orthostatic hypotension (a sharp decrease in pressure due to a change in body position, disorientation, dizziness and loss of consciousness are possible), which accompanies many hypotensive drugs.
Most of the patients switched to taking this drug, since the use of ACE inhibitors (a prophylactic for heart and kidney failure) causes a cough. Persons with extensive experience with the use of such medicines note that Atakand is much better than Presartan. Reviews show a better decrease in blood pressure than from a first-generation drug. The morning hypotensive effect becomes more effective.