Agistamas

Agistam belongs to a group of antihistamine drugs that are used to reduce the severity of clinical symptoms of seasonal allergies (nasal discharge, itching and burning, lacrimation, as a manifestation of conjunctivitis), urticaria, skin pathology of allergic origin, and also as part of complex therapy for bronchial asthma.

According to the international classification, the drug is considered a representative of the means affecting the respiratory system. Agistam, as an antihistamine, has a systemic effect.

The main active ingredient of Agistam is loratadine (international name - Loratadine). The manufacturer of the drug is Stirolbiofarm in Gorlovka, Donetsk region of Ukraine.

This medicine is available in tablet form and as a syrup. This makes it possible to use it in childhood. The only limitation is the age of two and the baby's weight - not less than 30 kilograms.

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Indications Agistamas

The drug Agistam is used to prevent the development of allergic manifestations or to reduce the activity or eliminate this process. Given this fact, the drug is widely used in diseases that are based on the sensitization of the body to some allergen.

Thus, indications for the use of Agistam include pollinosis, which occurs during the flowering season of grasses, that is, developing under the influence of a certain factor, as well as rhinitis, which continues all year round, regardless of the season (allergy to dust, animal hair and other agents).

In addition, Agistam can reduce the severity of symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis, which manifests itself as lacrimation, sneezing, rhinorrhea (discharge of secretions from the nasal cavities), itching and burning in the eye area.

Indications for the use of Agistam also imply the use of this drug for the treatment and prevention of relapse of chronic urticaria, the causes of which may be unknown, and angioedema. Skin pathology of allergic origin (chronic eczema, contact dermatitis) requires the addition of Agistam to the treatment.

As part of the main therapy, the antihistamine drug is used for bronchial asthma, insect bites and reactions to taking histamine liberators.

Release form

The medicinal antihistamine drug Agistam is available in tablet form and as a syrup. The tablet is characterized by its white color and biconvex shape. On one side there is a dividing line, thanks to which the dose can be reduced by half by breaking the tablet.

The tablet form of release allows you to clearly know the dosage taken, which, if necessary, can be reduced by dividing the tablet, or increased by taking another one. It contains 10 mg of the main active ingredient - loratadine. In addition, there are excipients: lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, gelatin-like starch, silicon dioxide and microcrystalline cellulose.

The syrup form has a transparent color, viscous consistency, sweet and sour taste, yellowish tint and citrus aroma (orange) or peach.

The bottle contains 100 ml of liquid with a dosage of 100 mg of loratadine in full. Thus, the syrup is convenient for babies to take, as it has a pleasant taste, aroma and is easy to dose.

Pharmacodynamics

The main directions of action of this drug are determined by its therapeutic properties. Pharmacodynamics Agistam contributes to the provision of antihistamine action, which prevents the development of an allergic reaction or reduces its clinical manifestations in the form of itching, swelling and redness.

The severity of allergy symptoms depends on the amount of histamine released from mast cells in response to the irritant. As a result, the permeability of the vessel walls increases and plasma enters the tissue, which is why swelling develops.

Pharmacodynamics Agistam provides selective blocking of H1-histamine receptors, thereby preventing its effect on smooth muscle fibers and vascular wall. Thus, exudation through the vascular wall is reduced due to a decrease in its permeability, as well as itching and erythema.

The antiallergic effect is observed after 30 minutes of oral administration of Agistam. The maximum effect is observed after 8-12 hours and is maintained throughout the day. This determines the drug is taken once a day.

Of the side effects of Agistam, it is worth highlighting a slight bronchodilatory effect. As for the sedative effect on the nervous system and the anticholinergic effect, this drug is free from them.

Pharmacokinetics

The antihistamine is absorbed fairly quickly. Thus, the largest amount of the main metabolite in the blood is noted already a couple of hours after administration. Then loratadine is broken down to form an active metabolite - descarboethoxyloratadine.

Pharmacokinetics Agistam provides a half-life of the drug at the level of approximately 24 hours. Almost all loratadine that enters the body binds to plasma proteins (about 97%). Over the course of 24 hours, a third of the total volume of the drug is excreted in the urine in the form of hydroxylated metabolites and compounds.

Within 10 days of taking loratadine, approximately 80% of the administered drug is excreted as metabolites via the kidneys and intestines (in equal amounts).

When the drug is used simultaneously with food, the pharmacokinetics of Agistam are only 48%. It is metabolized in the liver, so it should be taken with caution by people with liver pathology. In addition, special attention should be paid to alcoholic liver damage, since in the presence of this condition, the half-life of Agistam increases, which can lead to its accumulation in the body.

Dosing and administration

Depending on the age of the person, it is permissible to use the tablet form of this antihistamine and in the form of syrup. The latter form is specially designed for babies, as the syrup has a pleasant aroma and a sweet and sour taste, which children especially like.

The method of administration and dosage for children are calculated taking into account body weight and age. Thus, it is allowed to start using Agistam in children weighing more than 30 kilograms and aged from 2 years. The required dosage is measured out using a measuring spoon. It should be remembered that the full volume (100 ml) contains 100 mg of the main active substance.

If the baby can take the tablet form, then it is necessary to drink 1 tablet daily. It should also be remembered that each tablet contains 10 mg of loratadine.

The method of application and dosage should be adjusted in people suffering from liver and kidney pathology, since these are the organs that excrete the drug. You should start with 1 tablet every other day. The duration of the course is considered individually. Most often, it lasts from 1 to 2 weeks, but it can be extended to a month.

Use Agistamas during pregnancy

The period of pregnancy is characterized by its special course and caution in the choice of medicines. This is due to the possibility of negative influence of medicinal preparations on the fetus. During the first 12 weeks, all organs are laid down, as a result of which, under the influence of destructive factors, the health of the future baby may suffer.

The use of Agistam during pregnancy is not recommended due to the fact that there have not been enough studies with this category of patients that could confirm the absence of a negative effect on the fetus.

In addition, during the lactation period, the baby should not take Agistam. This is due to the fact that the main active substance loratadine can penetrate into breast milk. As a result, the concentration can reach the level contained in the woman's blood plasma.

When taking this antihistamine while breastfeeding the baby, there is a high probability of Agistam getting into the child's body, which is not desirable. Children can start taking the antiallergic drug only when they reach a weight of 30 kg.

Contraindications

The antihistamine is tolerated quite well, but it is necessary to take into account contraindications to the use of Agistam, in the presence of which its use is not recommended. Thus, these include a low threshold of sensitivity to the main active substance - loratadine, or additional components.

In addition, it is prohibited to take the antihistamine during pregnancy and lactation. As for childhood, Agistam is only allowed for use with a body weight of 30 kg and over 2 years.

Contraindications to the use of Agistam also include the individual characteristics of each organism, embedded in genetic information. Thus, a person may have intolerance to any component.

Antihistamines should be discontinued two days before the skin test to identify the allergen causing the allergic reaction.

Special warnings apply to people with liver disease and those prone to developing convulsive conditions.

Side effects Agistamas

The drug can accumulate in the body if the dosage and duration of its use are not observed. Side effects of Agistam occur in case of overdose, as well as in case of individual reactions to the antihistamine.

Clinical manifestations of taking a large amount of the drug may be characterized by headache and drowsiness. To treat this condition, it is recommended to perform gastric lavage to prevent further breakdown of loratadine and take a sorbent (activated carbon in the appropriate dosage).

In addition, symptomatic therapy should be carried out to eliminate or reduce the intensity of the overdose.

In some cases, side effects of Agistam may manifest themselves in the form of reactions of the body to the components of the drug. Thus, from the digestive system, dry mouth, nausea and vomiting are observed.

The nervous system may react with headaches, increased fatigue, insomnia and neuroses. The cardiovascular system reacts to Agistam with increased heart rate, fluctuations in blood pressure, a feeling of palpitations and even rhythm and conduction disturbances.

Rarely, skin manifestations, pain in the lumbar region, chest and urticaria are possible.

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Overdose

In case of an overdose of Agistam, the most common symptoms are drowsiness, tachycardia and headache.

Interactions with other drugs

An antihistamine when taken simultaneously with ethanol is not able to enhance the effect of the latter on the body. The interaction of Agistam with other drugs is noted when taking an antiallergic drug together with antibacterial drugs, in particular, representatives of macrolides - erythromycin, as a result of which the concentration of loratadine in the blood increases.

A similar effect is observed when Agistam is taken simultaneously with ketoconazole (antimicrobial agent - imidazole derivatives) and cimetidine (H2-histamine receptor blocker). Accumulation of loratadine is due to inhibition of the cytochrome P450 isoenzyme.

The interaction of Agistam with other drugs that have a sedative effect on the nervous system should also be monitored. This especially applies to barbiturates, sleeping pills, narcotic analgesics, antidepressants, neuroleptics and anxiolytics.

All of the listed drugs have a direct effect on the nervous system, which may result in the development of a pronounced sedative effect. The body's reaction depends on the dose of the drugs taken.

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Storage conditions

Each drug requires certain storage conditions, if not observed, the drug loses its therapeutic properties. In addition, new "abilities" of the drug may appear as a result of changes in the molecular structure of the components.

Storage conditions for Agistam suggest storing it in a place where the temperature is at a level of up to 25 degrees. It is also worth paying attention to humidity and the presence of direct sunlight on the antihistamine.

Storage conditions Agistam also warns about the lack of access of children to medications to avoid them taking pills. This can lead to both an overdose and obstruction of the respiratory tract by the pill.

The manufacturer must indicate in the instructions the conditions under which this medicine will retain its medicinal properties throughout its shelf life.

Shelf life

When purchasing any drug, one of the most important pieces of information is the indication of the expiration date of the drug. The manufacturer must indicate the date of manufacture and the last date of sale.

This information may be located on each blister in which the tablets are packed, on the bottle with syrup, and also on the outside of the outer packaging. The expiration date should be in an accessible place for quick checking.

The expiration date indicates the period of time during which the medicinal product retains the medicinal properties specified by the manufacturer in the instructions. After this period, any medicinal product cannot be used.

In addition to the expiration date, certain storage conditions must be observed. A tablet that has already been opened from a blister must either be taken or thrown away, as it is not allowed to store them open for a long time.