Famosun

Famosan is a drug from the pharmacological group of histamine H2-receptor blockers. Let's consider the indications for its use, dosage, possible side effects and other features.

The medicine is an effective antiulcer drug. Before using it, the patient must undergo a histological examination to exclude malignant lesions of the body. This is due to the fact that Famosan can mask the signs of gastric carcinoma. If the tablets are prescribed to patients with chronic renal failure, the doctor individually selects the dosage. People with impaired liver function need to adjust the dosage.

Indications Famosun

This drug, like any other drugs from the category of histamine receptor blockers, is used for gastrointestinal tract lesions.

Let's consider the main indications for the use of Famosan:

• Gastric and duodenal ulcers
• Heartburn caused by hyperchlorhydria
• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
• Hyperacidity of gastric juice
• Systemic mastocytosis
• Exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis
• Reflux esophagitis
• Erosive esophagitis
• NSAID gastropathy
• Polyendocrine adenomatosis
• Aspiration pneumonitis
• Functional dyspepsia (associated with increased secretory function of the stomach)
• Stress and symptomatic gastrointestinal ulcers
• Dyspepsia with epigastric or retrosternal pain (occurring at night or when eating)
• Prevention of gastric bleeding in the postoperative period
• Prevention of gastric juice aspiration.

Release form

The dosage form of Famosan is tablets for oral administration, coated with an enteric coating. It is available in a dosage of 20 mg and 40 mg with the active component - famotodine. The tablets are coated with an enteric coating, have a lentil-shaped form, brown-pink color with a smooth surface, and at the break the core is light in color, homogeneous in its structure. One cardboard pack contains a blister of 10 tablets.

The following are used as auxiliary substances: macrogol 6000, dimethicone emulsion, microcrystalline cellulose (granulated), magnesium stearate, titanium dioxide, granulated lactose, iron oxide red/yellow and other components.

Pharmacodynamics

The drug is a specific H2-receptor antagonist, but has no antagonistic or agonistic effect on histamine H1, a-receptors and b-receptors. Pharmacodynamics indicate a decrease in gastric acid secretion due to specific inhibition on receptors. At the same time, there is no clinically significant blockade of H2 receptors outside the gastrointestinal tract. The drug does not affect the level of prolactin, gonadotropin or testosterone. In the treatment of peptic ulcer disease, the effectiveness of reducing gastric acidity is 20-30 times higher than with cimetidine and 8-10 times higher than with ranitidine with a longer action.

The main pharmacological properties include high efficiency, rapid action, long-term therapeutic effect and high specificity of the connection with H2 receptors. The active substance reduces the night and daytime basal secretion of pepsin and hydrochloric acid in the stomach by 80%, as well as stimulated secretion. The volume of gastric juice also decreases. In rare cases, inhibition of H2 receptors can cause malabsorption of vitamin B12.

The drug does not affect the basic level of gastrin in the blood, but increases at pH above 5. It does not affect the secretion of the pancreas, the emptying of the stomach, does not change the level of tension of the lower esophageal sphincter. A single dose taken before bedtime significantly improves the patient's condition within a few days.

Pharmacokinetics

The effectiveness of Famosan is largely determined by its action after use. Pharmacokinetics indicates that the maximum concentration of the active substance in the blood occurs after 1-4 hours, while after 40 mg the maximum reaches values of 0.070-0.100 mg/l. Biological activity does not depend on food intake and is at the level of 43%. Binding to plasma proteins is weak.

About 40% of the orally administered dose is excreted unchanged in the urine. A low concentration of the S-oxide metabolite appears in the urine. With normal renal function, the half-life is 3-4 hours, and in patients with creatinine clearance below 30 ml / min - 10-12 hours. Famosan is considered an effective means of preventing bleeding from ulcer sites. It can be used before anesthesia in patients prone to aspiration of acidic stomach contents. It is not used to treat various clinical manifestations of functional gastric dyspepsia with normal acidity and no hypersecretion.

Dosing and administration

The effectiveness of the drug largely depends on the dosage used and the duration of therapy. Let's consider the method of application and dosage of Famosan:

• For gastric and duodenal ulcers - 40 mg once a day or 20 mg twice a day. If necessary, the daily dose is increased to 160 mg, the course of treatment is 4-8 weeks.
• For Zollinger-Ellison syndrome – 20-30 mg 3-4 times a day, maximum dosage 480 mg.
• For reflux esophagitis - 20 mg 2 times a day, duration of therapy is 5-6 weeks, if necessary, the dosage is increased to 40 mg, and the duration of treatment is up to 12 weeks.
• In case of recurrent aspiration of gastric contents – 40 mg before surgery or in the morning on the day of surgery.
• To prevent ulcer recurrence – 20 mg once a day before bedtime.

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Use Famosun during pregnancy

Expectant mothers with any illnesses are faced with the fact that the use of certain medications is prohibited for them. The use of Famosan during pregnancy and lactation is contraindicated. This is explained by the fact that the active substance passes through the blood-brain barrier, so it can be released into breast milk.

If it is necessary to use Famosan, the expectant mother should understand all possible risks. But, as a rule, doctors select safer medications that do not have a negative impact on the development of the fetus and the woman's body.

Contraindications

Many medications have contraindications for use. This is due to the effect of active components on the human body. Famosan is prohibited for use in case of individual intolerance to its active ingredients, as well as during pregnancy and lactation.

Hypersensitivity to any other histamine H2 receptor blockers is an absolute contraindication. Famosan is not prescribed to pediatric patients, patients with liver, kidney failure and liver cirrhosis with portosystemic encephalopathy.

Side effects Famosun

If the rules for using medicines are not followed, adverse symptoms appear on the part of many organs and systems. Let's consider the main side effects of Famosan:

• From the digestive system, nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhea most often appear. In addition, abdominal pain, exacerbation of pancreatitis, mixed hepatitis, flatulence, lack of appetite and dry mouth are possible.
• From the central nervous system side, headaches, fatigue, reversible mental disorders, sleep disturbances, dizziness, and taste disturbances occur.
• In rare cases, side effects such as leukopenia, decreased blood pressure, neutropenia, arrhythmia, vasculitis, bronchospasm, decreased potency and libido, impaired renal function and allergic skin reactions occur.

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Overdose

Exceeding the recommended dosage and duration of treatment leads to overdose symptoms. Most often, patients suffer from vomiting, tremors, low blood pressure, tachycardia, collapse and motor agitation.

To eliminate the above symptoms, it is necessary to stop using Famosan and perform gastric lavage. The patient is then prescribed supportive symptomatic therapy. Hemodialysis is effective.

Interactions with other drugs

As a rule, to eliminate a particular disease, a patient is prescribed a number of drugs, provided that they are used simultaneously. Interactions with other drugs should be monitored by the attending physician. Thus, when using a histamine H2 receptor blocker with antacids that contain aluminum and magnesium, a decrease in the absorption of Famosan is observed. The interval between the use of these drugs should be at least 1-2 hours.

The drug inhibits the metabolism of diazepam, phenytoin, indirect anticoagulants, caffeine, phenazone in the liver. The absorption of clavulanic acid and amoxicillin increases. The drug is compatible with 0.18-0.9% NaCl solution, sodium bicarbonate and dextrose solution. When used with antacids with sucralfate, the absorption process slows down.

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Storage conditions

The preservation of medicinal properties of tablet preparations depends on their storage conditions. Thus, the medicine should be kept in a dry place, protected from sunlight and inaccessible to children.

The recommended storage temperature is 15-25°C. If these conditions are not met, the medicine will deteriorate and lose its effectiveness.

Shelf life

Famosan, like any other medicine, has a certain shelf life. The medicine can be stored for 48 months from the date of manufacture, subject to the recommendations specified in the instructions. After this time, the tablets are prohibited from being taken and must be disposed of.