Gastromax

It is no secret to anyone that the diseases of the digestive system as a whole are approaching respiratory infections. In this regard, the pharmaceutical industry is concerned about the release of new effective drugs that help if not to cure the disease, then at least remove unpleasant symptoms that prevent the "ventricators" from enjoying life on a par with other people. The most common cause of poor health and pain in the stomach is acid in the composition of gastric juice, which has an irritant effect on the mucosa of the main digestive organ. Fight this problem with the help of various drugs. When it comes to the stomach ulcer, the drugs of choice are "Famotidine" and "Calcium Carbonate" (cheap and angry!). But there is a drug and more interesting, combining the effect of both drugs to normalize the acidity of gastric juice, and the name "Gastromax."

Indications of the gastromax

A beautiful bright blue package of the drug "Gastromax" with a delicate green leaf of mint in the corner, manufactured by Indian pharmaceutical companies Unimax Laboratories and Temis Medikare Ltd., will certainly attract the attention of buyers, especially those who are not in order stomach. After all, the name itself already tells us that the medicine is intended for patients of a gastroenterologist, who is engaged in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases.

Confirm the conjecture and the inscription under the name of the drug, where large letters indicate the main active substances of the drug, and in the first place famotidine. Its presence in the formulation of the drug indicates that this drug will be useful for those who are diagnosed with "stomach and duodenal ulcer" or "gastro-esophagor-reflux disease", when protection of the mucosa is extremely necessary.

But, according to the manufacturer's instructions, the drug can also be used to relieve unpleasant symptoms associated with high acidity of the stomach, with pathologies such as gastritis and functional dyspepsia (one that is not associated with gastrointestinal ulceration).

Indications for the use of the drug in this case are such manifestations of the disease as heartburn, belching sour, pain and heaviness in the stomach, fast saturation, accompanied by a feeling of overcrowding.

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Release form

"Gastromax" is available in the form of chewable tablets, therefore it is indicated only for oral administration. The tablets are sealed in a blister for 10 pieces and packed in a cardboard almost square container with a bright pattern. One package contains 10 round white tablets of sufficiently large diameter. On one side of the tablet you can see the embossing, where the name of the drug is written in English and looks like "GASTROMAX".

The main active substances of the drug in addition to famotidine, which contains 10 mg in one tablet (half the dose contained in a standard tablet of the same drug), are still calcium carbonate (800 mg) and magnesium hydroxide (165 mg), which provides the drug with a double-corrected effect.

The drug has not only enhanced effect, but also quite pleasant taste and aroma of mint, which is due to the inclusion of essential oil of peppermint and menthol in its composition. Excipients, in addition to the above, are also sucrose, dextrose, aspartame and saccharinate, presented as natural or artificial sweeteners, mannitol, povidone, magnesium stearate and talc.

Pharmacodynamics

"Gastromax" is the representative of effective combined preparations for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, which require protection of the mucosa from the irritating action of hydrochloric acid. It effectively fights with increased acidity of gastric juice and relieves the symptoms caused by this condition.

Famotidine in a preparation is the sole representative of the histamine H ₂ -receptor third generation. Due to it the secretion of gastric juice decreases. In this case, it reduces not only the amount of gastric secretion, but also the content of hydrochloric acid in gastric juice without affecting the production of pepsin. The ratio of pepsin to the volume of secreted gastric juice remains the same.

Famotidine has a depressing effect on the production of hydrochloric acid, both in the daytime and at night. The alkalization of gastric juice in turn inhibits the secretion of pepsin (an enzyme stimulus for the inflamed mucosa, designed to break down protein foods).

Magnesium hydroxide, like calcium carbonate, is a known antacid. Together, these 2 substances, which are also a source of calcium and magnesium, so necessary for the body, effectively neutralize the acid, creating favorable conditions for the operation of the affected gastrointestinal tract.

Famotidine and antacids provide the drug a double effect, due to which unpleasant symptoms of increased acidity of the stomach go away much faster, and the effect lasts longer. The drug promotes the development of protective mucus in the stomach and the concentration of glycoproteins in it, which have a positive effect on the processes of tissue regeneration for ulcerous and erosive lesions of the mucosa.

With reflux disease, the drug binds bile acids, thrown together with half-digested food back into the stomach, thus performing a protective action against the mucous organ.

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Pharmacokinetics

Pharmacokinetics of the drug depends on the pharmacokinetic characteristics of its constituents. Famotidine is a substance that is rapidly absorbed in the digestive tract (bioavailability of about 45%). Slightly reduces this ability of antacids, but this point has no clinical significance. The maximum concentration of the drug in the blood is observed after 1-3 hours, with blood proteins it binds by more than 20%. Famotidine does not accumulate in the body.

Metabolism famotidine occurs in the liver with the release of sulfoxide. In this case, most of the initial substance and its metabolites are excreted by the kidneys. The half-life period ranges from 2 to 3 and a half hours.

Calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide both neutralize the acidic environment of the stomach. In the first case, carbon dioxide is released, in the second - water and magnesium chloride. Magnesium chloride, in turn, can be considered as a salt laxative, which helps to empty the intestines, which reduces the frequency of constipation, sometimes occurring during the intake of pure famotidine. The prolonged effect of the antacid effect is attributed to magnesium hydroxide.

The effect of the drug is dependent on the dose. The duration of its effects can range from 12 hours to 1 day.

Dosing and administration

Chewable tablets "Gastromax" are intended for oral administration. At the same time, the tablet is not absorbed, but chewed, after which it can be swallowed safely. Drink the drug is not necessary.

Take the pill when you have symptoms characteristic of increased acidity of gastric juice, the most popular of which is heartburn and sour belch. In the absence of pronounced symptoms, the drug is taken 1 hour after eating.

The daily dose of a drug used in high acidity to protect the gastric mucosa is 1 or 2 tablets (1-2 times a day). It is not recommended to take more than 2 tablets per day.

The dosage of the drug is universal and does not depend on the age of the patient. This means that adolescents over 12 years of age and older people use the drug in their adult dosage.

The minimum dose is 1 tablet. It is recommended for people with a low level of creatinine clearance.

Use of the gastromax during pregnancy

The drug "Gastromax" is not ordinarily administered during pregnancy. This is due to the property of famotidine to penetrate the placenta, which poses a certain danger to the permanently unformed organism of the child in the womb of the mother.

In addition, famotidine enters the breast milk, and through it into the baby's body, causing disturbances in the digestive system and toxic effects. For this reason, during the treatment of the mother with the drug the child will have to be transferred to artificial feeding or to hire a wet nurse.

Contraindications

Like any other chemical drug "Gastromax" is suitable, of course, not all and not always. Increased acidity of gastric juice can be accompanied by a feeling of heaviness and overcrowding in the stomach. Similar symptoms are characteristic for pathologically high pH. With gastritis with low acidity, the drug can only exacerbate the situation, which will complicate the process of digestion of food.

Absolute contraindications to the use of the drug are considered to be intolerance of at least one of its components, as well as an increased sensitivity to drugs from the discharge of antagonists of histamine H ₂ -receptors.

It is undesirable to prescribe the drug and patients who have renal failure. This condition is explained by the high probability of developing hypermagnesia with its characteristic symptoms (depressive state, negative effect on the central nervous system, etc.).

The drug is not used in pediatrics for the treatment of children younger than 12 years due to the lack of research in this area. With caution appoint adolescents with kidney failure or liver disease, as well as people of advanced age.

At a low creatinine clearance (less than 30 ml per minute) and a high content of creatinine in the blood plasma, a dose adjustment may be required. In this case, appoint no more than 1 tablet a day.

When treating the drug with symptoms of peptic ulcer, you need to make sure that the process has not passed into a malignant form, in other words, to confirm the absence of cancer cells in the tissues of the gastric mucosa. Such an unusual requirement is due to the fact that the action of the drug can hide the symptoms of carcinoma of the stomach.

Side effects of the gastromax

Reception of a preparation can cause various unpleasant displays from bodies and systems of the person. Symptoms with different frequency appear.

The most common side effects of the drug "Gastromax" are:

• an increase in blood pressure,
• symptoms of arrhythmia,
• heart block,
• dryness of oral mucosa,
• nausea and vomiting,
• discomfort in the abdomen,
• changes in laboratory blood counts (thrombocyto-, pancito- or leukopenia, agranulocytosis, increase of transmnaz in the blood),
• slightly elevated temperature,
• allergic skin rashes in the form of urticaria,
• muscle spasms and pain in the joints,
• bronchospasm,
• fatigue and drowsiness,
• dry skin, itching.

Less common symptoms are headaches, ringing in the ears, dizziness, stools, a significant decrease in appetite, cholestatic jaundice, alopecia, severe allergic reactions.

Some patients during the treatment with the drug notice swelling of the mammary glands, which takes place in the first days after the abolition of "Gastromax".

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Overdose

Long-term use of the drug "Gastromax", containing compounds of calcium and magnesium, can lead to the development of hyper states. If the kidneys of the patient work well, then only hypercalcemia and characteristic symptoms (drowsiness, depression, pisach, muscle weakness, hypertension, development of urolithiasis, etc.) can threaten him.

In renal failure, hypermagnesemia may also join hypercalcemia, characterized by sudden attacks of weakness, breathing disorders, coordination disorders, loss of consciousness, paralysis, increased drowsiness, nausea and vomiting, a drop in blood pressure, etc.

Long-term therapy with the drug can also trigger the accumulation of alkaline substances in the tissues of the body and in the blood. There is alkalization of blood and the organism as a whole (alkalosis) with the appearance of signs of diffuse cerebral ischemia (anxiety, excessive excitation, sensitivity disorders in the form of paresthesia of the face and extremities, dizziness , pale skin, memory impairment, etc.).

If you have suspicious symptoms (vomiting, limb tremor, lower blood pressure, increased heart rate, etc.), you should immediately stop taking the medicine, rinse your stomach and, if necessary, seek medical help. In severe cases, hemodialysis (blood cleansing) may be required.

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Interactions with other drugs

Since active antacids are included in the composition of the drug "Gastromax", taking this medication simultaneously with other drugs can significantly reduce the effectiveness of the latter due to the deterioration of their absorption in the gastrointestinal tract.

Antibiotics of tetracycline and fluoroquinolone groups, phosphates, iron preparations for internal administration, barbiturates, sulfonamide preparations are the incomplete list of drugs that should be taken separately from antacids. And the interval should be at least one, and preferably 2 hours.

The same can be said about individual drugs, such as Digoxin, Warfarin, Intraconazole, Ketoconazole, Amoxicillin, Acetylsalicylic Acid and their derivatives, as well as digitalis preparations.

Calcium carbonate can accelerate the excretion of salicylates by the kidneys, reducing their content in the blood.

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Storage conditions

As is known, when products are stored incorrectly, their premature deterioration usually occurs. The same can be said about medicines. At the same time, they not only lose their effectiveness, but can also carry a certain danger to human health and life.

In connection with the foregoing, it is necessary to understand how important it is to comply with the storage conditions of the drug, dictated to us by the manufacturer and tested by experience.

Fortunately, the drug "Gastromax" does not require any special storage conditions. It is enough to keep it at room temperature (not above 25 degrees!) And protect from sunlight. The best way to save all the useful properties of the drug is its storage in its original packaging.

Shelf life

Keep the drug and use it to treat the unpleasant symptoms of increased acidity of the stomach can be no more than 3 years, subject to the requirements for proper storage of the medicine.

According to the official instructions to the drug "Gastromax" produced in India, the expiration date of the medicinal product is 3 years.