Maalox mini

The joint French-Italian pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis SpA (Italy) and Sanofi-Aventis France (France) recently introduced a drug belonging to the pharmacological group of combined antacids (simple salts). This is Maalox mini, the main active ingredients of which are algeldrat and magnesium hydroxide (algeldratum, magnesii hydroxydum).

Indications Maalox mini

The direction of action of the active ingredients determines the indications for the use of Maalox mini:

• Inflammation of the gastric mucosa (manifestations of acute gastritis ).
• Chronic gastritis, diagnosed with indicators of gastric juice production (its secretory production) at a normal or elevated level. The period of exacerbation, manifested by sour belching and heartburn.
• Hernia of the esophageal opening of the diaphragm.
• Acute period of ulcerative-erosive pathology of the stomach and duodenum.
• An allergic reaction to taking medications, manifested by discomfort in the stomach area.
• Discomfort and heartburn caused by abuse of tobacco, drugs, alcohol, strong tea and coffee.

Release form

The drug is presented in a variety of packaging on the pharmacy market. The drug is available in a suspension for oral administration, produced in sachets (small single-use bags of a certain dosage), made of aluminum foil. The mini-package is covered with a thin layer of polyethylene and polypropylene on top. One sachet contains six grams (or 4.3 ml) of the drug. On the shelves of pharmacies, you can find cardboard packages containing six, ten, twenty, thirty and, accordingly, forty mini-bags.

Pharmacodynamics

The neutralizing drug Maalox mini has a targeted effect on a specific problem. The pharmacodynamics of Maalox mini is not burdened by systemic effects. Tested using the Rosset-Rice method in vitro, the drug showed an antacid capacity of about 20 mEq per mini-sachet.

The drug in question can eliminate heartburn for several hours by stopping free hydrochloric acid in the patient's stomach. At the same time, secondary excessive production of hydrochloric acid is not provoked. The introduction of Maalox mini into the patient's body allows to reduce the peptic activity of gastric juice. The active ingredients of the drug pass X-rays well. Magnesium hydroxide and algedrate help to coat the gastric mucosa, which helps to reduce the harmful effects on the gastrointestinal tract lining. The pharmacodynamics of Maalox mini also shows an adsorbing effect.

[ 1 ], [ 2 ], [ 3 ]

Pharmacokinetics

The active ingredients of the drug (magnesium hydroxides and algedrate), which have neutralizing properties, are used for local relief of the problem. When administered orally in the recommended amount, it is practically not absorbed, therefore the pharmacokinetics of Maalox mini are strictly targeted and are not distinguished by their systemic nature.

[ 4 ]

Dosing and administration

Maalox mini is prescribed only to patients who have reached the age of 15. The medicine is administered orally, an hour and a half after eating, in case of heartburn. Method of administration and dosage: squeeze the contents of one or two packets, without diluting, into a tablespoon or directly into the mouth. But before opening the package, thoroughly knead its contents with your fingertips. After that, the package can be opened.

If the desired result has not occurred, the same dosage of the drug can be administered after two hours. However, it is not recommended to take more than 12 mini-packets per day. The duration of treatment is limited to two to three months. In case of a single administration, the recommended amount is one to two mini-packets.

If the patient has a history of mild renal failure, the number of sachets of the drug that the patient can take during the day is reduced to eight units.

[ 8 ]

Use Maalox mini during pregnancy

When conducting animal studies and having little experience of using the drug in therapeutic therapy in women in an "interesting position", no teratogenic effect was found. A teratogenic effect is a violation of the normal development of the fetus under the influence of certain unfavorable factors: physical, chemical (medicinal) or biological (for example, viruses) effects. However, the use of Maalox mini during pregnancy, due to the minimal results of clinical data, is allowed only if the real help for the woman's health outweighs the possible risk to the child. In this case, taking the drug is desirable in small doses and not for a long time.

Due to the fact that Maalox mini does not have systemic properties, but acts directly on the site of pathology, it is not necessary to stop breastfeeding the baby during the period of its use.

Contraindications

Any medication should be taken with caution. There are also contraindications to the use of Maalox mini.

• Increased sensitivity of the patient's body to the components of the drug.
• Severe renal dysfunction.
• Hypophosphatemia is a decrease in the level of inorganic phosphorus compounds in the blood serum.
• There is an age restriction: not recommended for children and adolescents under 15 years of age.
• Low blood sugar levels.
• The patient's body is intolerant to fructose.
• Glucose-galactose malabsorption is the loss of these components entering the digestive tract, caused by insufficient absorption in the small intestine.

Maalox mini should be prescribed with great caution in the following cases:

• Diabetes mellitus, since the drug in question contains sucrose.
• Porphyria, if the patient is on hemodialysis.
• During the period when a woman is carrying a baby and breastfeeding.
• Alzheimer's disease.
• In case of a diet with predominantly low-phosphate food. Taking the drug can provoke phosphate deficiency.

[ 5 ], [ 6 ]

Side effects Maalox mini

Taking the drug, especially for a long time, can provoke the appearance of concomitant negative symptoms. Side effects of Maalox mini, in case of adhering to the recommended treatment protocol, appear quite rarely. The intensity of the detected symptoms is low. However, the following may appear:

• Increased urge to defecate or, conversely, constipation.
• Attacks of nausea.
• Defect of taste perception.
• Gagging.
• Increased plasma concentrations of magnesium and/or aluminum.
• Drop in blood pressure.
• Dehydration.
• Hyporeflexia is a decrease in segmental reflexes.

If Maalox mini is taken by a patient for a sufficiently long time, including in large doses, the following can be observed:

• Hypophosphatemia, especially if the patient eats a diet low in phosphorus.
• Nephrocalcinosis is the presence of calcium deposits in the kidneys.
• Hypercalciuria is an increase in the level of calcium in the urine.
• Osteoporosis is a decrease in bone strength caused by a decrease in the calcium content of the bones.
• Hypocalcemia is a decrease in the content of ionized calcium in the blood serum.
• Osteomalacia is a systemic disease characterized by insufficient mineralization of bone tissue.
• Patients with kidney problems may develop:
  • Encephalopathy is a pathological brain disorder.
  • Microcytic anemia.
  • Dementia is an acquired mental retardation characterized by the degradation of thinking and memory.

But it is worth remembering that if all recommendations are followed, side effects of Maalox mini are practically not registered.

[ 7 ]

Overdose

It has already been said above that if all the requirements specified in the instructions are met, the manifestation of side effects is reduced to a minimum. And if we take into account that the drug is almost not absorbed by the mucous membrane of the digestive tract, we can say with a high degree of probability that an overdose is impossible. But if the drug has been used for a long time or the dosage of the drug has been significantly exceeded, an overdose of Maalox mini may occur in the form of a more intense manifestation of side effects.

Recommendations for relieving this problem include drinking plenty of fluids while taking strong diuretics. In the presence of renal failure, hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis is indicated without delay.

[ 9 ], [ 10 ], [ 11 ]

Interactions with other drugs

Any action must be justified. Therefore, before introducing the drug in question into complex therapy, it is worthwhile to better know what consequences can be obtained by interacting Maalox mini with other drugs.

For example, in tandem with quinidine, the likelihood of an increase in the quantitative component of quinine in the patient's blood and its overdose increases.

The combined use of Maalox mini with the following drugs and drug classes leads to a decrease in the percentage of their absorption by the gastrointestinal mucosa. These are:

• Salicylates (for example, acetylsalicylic acid).
• H2-histamine receptor blockers.
• Propranolol and isoniazid.
• Indomethacin and metoprolol.
• Atenolol and chloroquine.
• Levothyroxine and diflunisal.
• Ketoconazole and digoxin.
• Bisphosphonate and penicillamine.
• Ethambutol and polystyrene sulfate.
• Fluoroquinolone and lansoprazole.
• Sodium fluoride and iron salts.
• Lincosamide and tetracycline.
• Phenothiazine neuroleptics.
• Phosphorus-containing food additives.

But such a result can be avoided if you space the intake of this pair of drugs by two hours; for fluoroquinolone drugs, the safe interval is four hours.

Maalox mini increases the concentration of citrates in the blood, mainly in patients suffering from kidney dysfunction. And in combination with salicylates, it provokes their rapid utilization and excretion with urine, which leads to increased alkalinity of urine.

[ 12 ], [ 13 ], [ 14 ], [ 15 ]

Storage conditions

A cool room with a temperature of no more than 25 °C, isolation from direct sunlight - these are the main storage conditions for Maalox mini. It is worth adding that any medication should be inaccessible to children.

[ 16 ]

Special instructions

Maalox mini is excellent for long-term relief of heartburn and sour belching. Just remember that you shouldn't prescribe the drug to yourself, it can lead to unpleasant consequences. Any medication should be prescribed only by a doctor - a qualified specialist.

Shelf life

Three years is the expiration date of the drug in question, which must be indicated on each package of the drug. It is necessary to very carefully monitor the expiration date and not exceed it.