Helicide

Helicide (the international name of the drug - Omeprazole) is part of the pharmacological group of the so-called. "Proton pump inhibitors" and has a pronounced antiulcer effect. 

The helicide is dispensed from pharmacies according to the prescription of the treating doctor. Before using medication, it is recommended to read the instructions for use.

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Indications Helicide

A drug belonging to the group of antiulcer drugs is used for:

• gastritis;
• stomach ulcer;
• duodenal ulcer;
• gastroejunal and peptic ulcer;
• reflux-esophagitis (an inflammatory process that occurs in the mucosa of the esophagus because of the pellet contents of the stomach);
• duodenitis;
• damage to the organs of the gastrointestinal tract by erosions and ulcers on the background of therapy with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs);
• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (pancreatic adenoma);
• other diseases of the stomach / duodenum.

Indications for use are indicated in the instructions for the medication. The pharmacological action of Helicida is to block the so-called. "Proton pump" (an enzyme that performs the most important function in the production of gastric hydrochloric acid): inhibition of H ⁺ / K ⁺ -ATPase in membranes of parietal cells of the gastric mucosa, suppression of the final stage of hydrochloric acid formation, and a decrease in the level of secretion type of stimulus). Helicide does not contribute to suppressing the secretion of pepsin. After the internal intake of a single dose of the drug retains its effect throughout the day.

Release form

Helicide as an antiulcer medication is prescribed exclusively by a doctor, so the pharmacy is released on prescription. The dosage of the medication, as well as the duration of the course of treatment, must strictly comply with the prescriptions of the medical specialist. Based on a specific situation, he can appoint a patient to take Helicide in a dosage of 10 or 20 mg.

Form release: capsules, each containing 10 or 20 mg of omeprazole, completed in bottles of 14 and 28 pieces. In the cardboard box is a bottle made of dark glass, with a plastic lid, as well as a moisture dehydrator and packing information (i.e., instructions for the medication). A separate capsule of Helicida consists of a yellowish-brownish case with an orange lid. The structure of the capsule Helicida gelatinous, to the touch - solid, inside them are spherical pellets - transparent or white.

In addition to omeprazole, the main active ingredient, Helicides contain auxiliary components: purified water, gelatin, corn starch, diethylphthalate, lactose and sucrose, sodium lauryl sulfate, as well as iron oxide (black, red and yellow), titanium dioxide, etc. 

Pharmacodynamics

The active component of the drug is omeprazole, is able to inhibit the "proton pump" in the gastric parietal cells and block the last stage of the synthesis of hydrochloric acid. In turn, this process leads to the fact that the level of secretion (both basal and stimulated) decreases in the stomach. The nature of the stimulus does not matter.

Pharmacodynamics: immediately after taking Helicides, during the first hour, the active action of omeprazole begins, which lasts for the next 24 hours. The maximum effect of this drug is achieved approximately 2 hours after admission. The use of 20 mg Helicida in patients with stomach ulcers is able to maintain a pH level of 3 within the stomach for 17 hours. After discontinuation of treatment with Helicide, the secretory activity of the gastrointestinal tract is completely restored after 3-5 days.

After concentration in the parietal cells of the gastric mucosa, Helicidum is converted into a sulfenamide derivative. Its metabolism occurs in the liver. Due to its pronounced therapeutic effect is actively used in modern medicine for the treatment of erosive drug-ulcer diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Pharmacokinetics

Helicide as an active anti-ulcer drug acts fairly quickly and for a relatively long time: for example, with a single admission the duration of action of this medication is a whole day.

Pharmacokinetics: after oral administration, a fairly rapid absorption of the drug from the gastrointestinal tract occurs. Approximately in an hour its maximum concentration in the blood plasma is reached. Metabolization of Helicida is almost completely performed in the liver. Derivation of its greater quantity (up to 80%) in the form of metabolites occurs kidneys along with urine, and the remainder (up to 25%) - with the calves. After the absorption of the active substance, omeprazole, takes place in the small intestine, it is transferred in its inactive form by the bloodstream, then concentrated in the cells of the gastric mucosa and transformed into a derivative of sulfenamide. Bioavailability is 30-40%, but it should be noted that in elderly patients the level of bioavailability increases, and in the case of hepatic insufficiency reaches 100%. The duration of the half-life of the Helicide is 0.5-1 hours, but the antisecretory effect of the drug persists for 24 hours.

Dosing and administration

The medicine should be taken in the morning, swallowing the whole capsule and washing down with a small amount of water.

The method of administration and dose is prescribed exclusively by the doctor after a medical examination of the patient and the establishment of an accurate diagnosis. The duration of the course of treatment with this drug depends on the healing time of erosion or ulcers. The degree of this process is determined by the results of endoscopy. Most often the healing process of a stomach ulcer is 4-8 weeks, and the duodenum - from 2 to 4 weeks. With reflux-esophagitis, the duration of the healing process is 8-12 weeks.

A single therapeutic dose of Helicida is usually 10 or 20 mg / day. (reception - in the morning hours). Sometimes, if necessary, the dose of the drug may increase to 40 mg / day. In the treatment of gastritis caused by Helicobacter pylori, Helicide is prescribed in combination with effective antimicrobial agents.

The Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is treated with Helicida in a dosage of 60 mg / day, which, if necessary, rises to 80 mg (in which case the daily doha is divided into two doses, the interval between which should be 12 hours). In each case, the duration of treatment with Helicidum is determined individually.

When preventing relapses of ulcerative-erosive diseases, it is recommended to take a dose of 10 or 20 mg once a day. 

Use Helicide during pregnancy

It is not recommended to use during pregnancy or during lactation. This is clearly indicated in the instructions for the use of this medication. In exceptional cases, reception of Helicidum is still allowed, but only in the situation when the expected therapeutic effect for the mother really exceeds all the potential risks for the unborn child.

Use during pregnancy is not allowed, primarily because of the lack of reliable data that would confirm the safety of taking the medication during the period of bearing the baby or breastfeeding a newborn baby. It should be borne in mind that virtually any drug used during pregnancy can harm a future baby. This also applies to inhibitors of the "proton pump", which include Helicides. In case of problems related to malfunctioning of the GI tract, a future mother should seek help from a doctor. He will conduct the necessary medical examination and prescribe a treatment regimen. It should be emphasized that during pregnancy in women who already had problems with the stomach, the diseases can worsen. That's why it's so important to find the problem in time and fix it.

Contraindications

The drug has two main contraindications to the use:

• hypersensitivity to omeprazole or excipients of the drug;
• the patient's age is up to 18 years.

Contraindications to use must be taken into account by the medical specialist when prescribing treatment in case of finding any erosive and ulcerative disease of the gastrointestinal tract, gastritis, duodenitis and other ailments associated with stomach functioning and duodenal condition in the patient.

When a problem is detected, symptomatic treatment with Helicida is performed. It is important to take into account the specific instructions for prescribing treatment with this medication. In particular, before therapy, the presence of a malignant neoplasm in the patient should be excluded, this is another contraindication to treatment.

In general, taking a drug at therapeutic dosages of 10 or 20 mg does not have any negative impact on human activity, which requires an increased concentration of attention, as well as a high rate of physical and mental reactions. Such areas of activity include, for example, driving a vehicle, working at a height, servicing cars, etc.

Side effects Helicide

The medicine can have a number of side effects, but only in exceptional cases. The negative effect of this drug on the human body was noted in only 1% of patients and most often had an easy, reversible character.

Side-effects are mainly related to any malfunctions and abnormalities in the functioning of the digestive tract and may manifest as nausea, flatulence, a feeling of heaviness in the epigastric region, diarrhea. In rare cases, there may be an increased activity of liver enzymes, as well as a violation of taste, dry mouth, stomatitis.

Of the other side symptoms that occur with the use of Helicida, it is possible to identify the manifestation of allergic reactions (pruritus and skin rashes, photosensitivity, erythema), headache attacks, soreness in muscles and joints (in particular, arthralgia, myalgia). In patients who have concomitant somatic diseases, there may be manifestations of depression, agitation, dizziness. Failures in the hematopoiesis system can manifest in the form of thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, pancytopenia, agranulocytosis.

In isolated cases, there may be a feeling of general malaise, there is a violation of the function of hematopoiesis.

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Overdose

At therapeutic doses, the patient's body is well tolerated, without any negative manifestations. The main thing is not to engage in self-medication and in no case should it exceed the dosage set by the attending physician. Symptoms of an overdose of this drug, according to the results of clinical trials, can occur with the use of doses from 320 to 900 mg, which in many respects exceeds therapeutic doses.  

Overdose is indicated by the following symptoms:

• headache,
• drowsiness,
• dry mouth,
• confusion,
• increased sweating,
• nausea,
• tachycardia or arrhythmia,
• impaired vision.

All of the above symptoms of an overdose of omeprazole are transient. When observing this condition, symptomatic treatment is prescribed. At the same time, the performance indicators of all vital organs should be monitored. A high degree of binding of the active substance Helicida omeprazole with plasma proteins interferes with the implementation of a specific treatment. For this reason, the conduct of hemodialysis will not give the desired effect. In any case, if the drug is administered according to a clearly established treatment regimen, an overdose is excluded.

Interactions with other drugs

It is used in modern medical practice for the treatment of erosive and ulcerative diseases of the stomach and duodenum. The drug has proved its activity in the treatment of gastritis, duodenitis, stomach ulcer, as well as reflux-esophagitis, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, erosive and ulcerative diseases of the duodenum.

Interactions with other drugs, established as a result of clinical trials, showed that with simultaneous admission, this drug is able to slow the elimination (from Latin elimino - "removal", "exception") of warfarin, diazepam, phenytoin and other drugs, the metabolism of which occurs in the liver by microsomal oxidation. This is the basic information on the interaction of Helicida with other drugs, which is contained in the instructions.

Before the treatment with Helicide, one should make sure that the patients (especially those with stomach ulcers) have no malignant process. For this purpose, an endoscopic examination involving biopsy is necessary. The fact is that Helicid is able to mask the symptoms of the disease and thereby facilitate the postponement of correct diagnosis.

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Storage conditions

The storage conditions are clearly indicated in the instructions for this preparation. The optimum temperature for storing the capsules Helicide is 10-25 ° C. The air temperature should not exceed 25 ° C.

Helicide, like any other medicine, must be stored in a dry place out of reach of children and protected from sunlight. The fact is that when direct sunlight hits, there is a rapid destruction of many drugs. That is why it is forbidden to store medicines, for example, on windowsills or balconies.

It is important to consider one more storage condition. After each intake, the capsule vial should be tightly closed with a lid that contains a special moisture dehydrator. It is not recommended to pour the capsules from the "native" package into a box or, for example, a cellophane bag. Any medicine, including Helicide, is best stored in the original packaging. Capsules, like tablets, are hygroscopic in themselves, so they can not be stored in places with high humidity, for example, in the bathroom. To store medicines, it is best to take a special place in the closet on the top shelf, or in a table or pedestal, closing it with a key.  

Shelf life

Like any other medicinal product, you can not use it at the end of the expiration date, which is indicated in the instructions or on the package with the medicine.

Shelf life of the drug is 3 years. It is very important to comply with this condition, since the taking out of the "system" of medicines can have a negative impact on human health and only aggravate his condition. In some cases, taking drugs that have expired may lead to gastrointestinal problems (eg, poisoning) or cause the body to react in the form of an allergy. In most cases, it is recommended to store a printed vial of capsules or tablets for only 1 year, and then get rid of the medicine. The fact that in the open bottle can multiply pathogenic organisms: E. Coli, salmonella or staphylococcus. In addition, depending on the properties, the capsules can shrink or suck moisture out of the air, which, accordingly, will affect the process of their resorption in the stomach. Do not store medicinal products in the refrigerator - this is not provided by the instructions.