The drug "Gastenorm forte" is made on the basis of pancreatin with a minimum level of enzymatic activity. In the form of auxiliary components, it uses sodium chloride, lactose monohydrate, colloidal silicon dioxide, talc, sodium lauryl sulfate and others. The tablet shell includes triacetin, sorbitan oleate, cellacephate and titanium dioxide.
The therapeutic effect of this drug is based on substitution treatment, it is prescribed for violations of the exocrine activity of the pancreas, as well as insufficient production of pancreatin.
In addition to pancreatin, the Gastenorm forte medicine includes enzymes (amylase, protease and lipase) that promote better digestion of fatty foods, carbohydrates and proteins. If the patient drinks tablets regularly, there is an increase in the absorption of nutrients in the small intestine.
Many patients are interested in the price of the drug.
Price
The cost of the drug varies from 70 to 150 rubles, you can purchase it without a doctor’s prescription in any pharmacy. It is a cheaper analogue of the Hermital, Creon. Reviews indicate that Gastenorm is not inferior to anything in foreign drugs.
Release form and composition of the drug
The medication is presented in solid dosage form - tablets. Its active components are:
- pancreatin, which compensates for the deficiency in the production of pancreatic protein catalysts;
- lipase breaks down fats into fatty acids;
- amylase helps break down carbohydrates;
- protease increases the rate of protein breakdown into amino acids.
In addition, the drug has excipients. These include:
- calcium salt of gluconic acid, accelerating the contractile movement of the digestive system;
- povidone eliminates toxins from the body;
- sodium chloride helps digestion;
- microcrystalline glucose fiber - a biological additive;
- lactose monohydrate replaces sugar.
Indications for the use of a medication
"Gastenorm forte" is used for:
- a lack of exocrine pancreatic function (chronic pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, etc.);
- preparation for the procedure of ultrasound / radiological examination of the organs of the peritoneal cavity;
- errors in the diet of patients with the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract (to improve the digestion process) and eliminate the defect in chewing function);
- a sedentary lifestyle and forced long immobilization;
- inflammatory and dystrophic pathologies of the stomach, intestines, liver, chronic gall bladder, the state after irradiation / removal of these organs, which occur with food digestion disorders, flatulence, diarrhea (in combination with other drugs).
Dosage and route of administration of the drug
The drug "Gastenorm forte" according to the instructions must be taken orally, washed down with a sufficient amount of water during meals. The tablets do not need to be chewed. The dosage is determined by the doctor individually, it is set depending on the degree of digestive disturbance. If there are no other prescriptions, it is advisable for adult patients to observe such a dosage regimen: with food, 1-4 tablets. For a day, it is not recommended to exceed the number of enzymes 15,000 units per kilogram (converted to lipase).
It is advisable for children to consult a specialist before using the medicine. The average amount is three times a day for one tablet. The duration of the course can vary greatly: from a single use or several days (if the digestive process is disturbed due to diet errors) to several months or even years (if patients need constant replacement treatment).
Side effects of the drug
According to reviews, there may be the following violations from Gastenorm forte: a hypersensitive reaction (in the form of a skin rash, lacrimation, sneezing). In rare cases, there is a development of constipation or diarrhea, discomfort in the epigastric region. When conducting a long course with the use of the drug in large doses, there may be such side effects: an increase in the degree of uric acid in the blood plasma, hyperuricosuria. In patients with cystic fibrosis, when the required amount of pancreatin is exceeded, strictures may appear in the ileocecal section and the ascending colon. In children, the use of large doses of the drug can cause perianal irritation, as well as irritation of the oral mucosa.
Contraindications to the use of a medication
As indicated by the instructions for use with Gastenorm Fort, it should not be taken by patients with intolerance to the components of the drug, patients who suffer from the acute stage of chronic pancreatitis, acute hepatitis and bowel obstruction. Not used for the treatment of dyspeptic symptoms in children under three years of age.
Very carefully you need to approach the prescription of the drug during pregnancy, since there is no reliable information about its use in the treatment of this category of patients. Pregnant women can take Gastenorm forte only when the intended benefit is higher than the hypothetical harm (this is due to the fact that the necessary clinical studies are not available).
In the lactation period, the drug can be used.
Drug Interactions and Overdoses
At "Gastenorm forte" bioavailability is reduced if it is taken simultaneously with calcium-based antacids and magnesium. If necessary, the joint use of drugs between them should be a break of at least two hours.
It should also be borne in mind that with therapy, there is a decrease in the absorption of drugs with iron. Therefore, you need to carefully use the tablets.
Thus, regarding drug interactions, it should be noted that the simultaneous use of Gastenorm forte tablets with a number of substances / preparations may develop such effects:
- iron preparations: a decrease in their absorption;
- antacid preparations containing magnesium hydroxide and / or calcium carbonate: decrease in the effectiveness of the active substance.
If the patient has used too large a dose of this drug, he may have symptoms of hyperuricemia, hyperuricosuria, severe constipation. In a disease such as cystic fibrosis, an overdose can cause fibrous colonopathy of the colon or ileocecal.
Does the drug have analogues?
Gastenorm forte has such analogues as Mezim forte, Creon 10,000, Pangrol 25,000, Mikrazim, Pancreatin, PanziKam, Pancreasim, Panzim forte, etc. d.
One of the effective analogues is the drug "Creon", which is available in the form of gelatin capsules and includes minimicrospheres with the component pancreatin (animal origin). The medicine can quickly dissolve in the stomach, its microspheres easily mix with the gastric contents, and at the same time they enter the small intestine with food. Only there microspheres dissolve, pancreatin is released.
The main active ingredient can break down carbohydrates, protein and fats, the drug is practically not absorbed, but pharmacologically it acts only in the intestinal lumen.
The drug is prescribed depending on the cause of the pathology that caused the digestive disturbance, the patient’s diet and the severity of his condition. To select the dosage with maximum accuracy, manufacturers advise you to purchase several forms of the drug with different concentrations of the active component of pancreatin. The use of "Creon" is allowed with pancreatitis during meals at any time.
Capsules are best not to chew and swallow whole with a large amount of still water or clean water. If you have difficulty swallowing the whole, you can open the capsule, dissolve it in a neutral liquid and immediately use the mixture, it is forbidden to store it.
When treating the pancreas, you need to adhere to the drinking regimen. In case of fluid deficiency in the body, the development of stool disorders, for example, severe constipation, becomes inevitable.
Reviews about Gastenorm Fort
Patients often complain of a feeling of heaviness in the stomach after eating. Many of them used the more popular and advertised Mezim to alleviate the condition. However, its high cost is far from satisfying for everyone, and therefore patients turn to analogues, including Gastenorm Fort. Its effectiveness is the same as that of Mezim. Although the heaviness in the abdomen does not completely go away, the person still becomes easier.
Many take the drug as necessary, not in constant courses. It acts quickly, relief comes soon after administration, the severity in the stomach decreases. Patients are advised to drink it before large feasts and holidays.
We reviewed the instructions for use with Gastenorm forte.