Allergy Medications

In those cases when the body is unable to independently resist the aggressive offensive of allergens, it comes to the rescue of drugs for allergies. So it was believed that minor signs of allergic diseases, manifested as a runny nose and sneezing, edema of the nose and increased lachrymation, itching, reddening of the skin or rash in certain areas of the skin, are not taken seriously. People do not hurry to see a doctor, but usually go to the nearest pharmacy for "some medicine for allergies."

After taking several pills bought in a hurry the drug, signs that resemble allergic ones pass, and a person forgets about all the recent "sufferings". In the meantime, at the cellular level, the allergic reaction proceeds quietly, passing to other stages, taking other forms. In this article, we will try to present structurally the main medicines for allergies, their groups, mechanisms of action. On those drugs that are taken more often than others, we will dwell in more detail.

[1],

Allergy, like the theater of war

In order to have an idea of what is happening in our body at the time when a foreign agent is injected into it and what allergy medications are in fact, one can consider allergy as an analogy of military operations.

Every second and twenty-four hours on guard of our health there are billions of cells united in special rapid reaction groups equipped with all necessary weapons capable of hitting any enemy quickly and without a miss. These groups of cells, merging together, represent the defenses of the body. The enemy who has got into a healthy and strong organism is immediately traced, disarmed, bound and eliminated. The weaker the organism, the fewer victories are gained by its defenders, the more enemies become, who organize permanent sabotage, undermining health.

An allergic reaction is a constant fighting. They, then subsiding, then break out again, with great bitterness. These are battles that take place on the cellular level of the organism, conducted on all fronts, with the use of heavy artillery, infantry, the role of which is performed by T-lymphocytes, antibodies, T-helpers, and fire support from the air. As an aviation support, in our comparative example, there are medications for allergies. The choice of medicines is a very important and responsible step. To make an air strike effective, do not bomb your allies, do not throw bombs and missiles on an empty square, you need to know exactly the enemy and the place of his position.

In the case of allergies, preliminary exploration is carried out with the help of an allergist. After receiving all the intelligence data, in the form of results of allergological samples containing the description and the exact name of the enemy or a list of them, inherent in this particular case, you can proceed with planning the main offensive movement. Under each of the allergens, or complex, selective anti-allergic therapy is selected. This is the only way to be sure that allergy medications taken to support the body or fully assume a protective function will effectively combat the root cause of poor health.

For people who often suffer from allergies not of clear genesis, one must always remember that withdrawal of symptoms is not a complete recovery. Based on the above analogy, you can strike at the enemy and make him temporarily lurk, go underground and gain strength. Admission of improper drugs, in order to eliminate the symptoms of allergic manifestations, can translate into very serious complications and development of irreversible pathologies of internal organs.

[2], [3], [4], [5]

Allergy medications: group affiliation and mechanism of action

It is not easy in a few words to describe even the approximate process of treating allergic reactions of the body. And it's not just a variety of forms of manifestation of allergic conditions, and not so much in the individual characteristics of each particular case. When it comes to treatment, one can never be sure that using the standard action algorithm will produce the expected results. An integrated approach to the study of the problem, diagnostic measures, identification of the root cause, which led to such vivid manifestations on the part of the body, are important components that must necessarily precede any medical procedures. Each situation has its differences, however, the drugs used are basically always the same, only used in different combinations, the doses and treatment courses have different time intervals.

All the medicines for allergies can be represented in the form of two large blocks, subdivided according to the speed of development of the therapeutic effect:

• means of immediate response,
• delayed or prolonged action.

Each block, in turn, has a branched classification of its constituent drug groups. The block of immediate response aimed at stopping allergic mechanisms, at different levels of development, necessarily implies control by the doctor. Preparations of this block are used for complex treatment of complex attacks. It is for treatment, not just for short-term relief. The block includes:

• glucocorticoids
• adrenomimetics (representatives: ephedrine, adrenaline);
• blockers of M-holinoretseptorov (representatives - atropine, metacin, platifillin);
• kromony (representatives - ketotifen, kromolin-sodium);
• antihistamine (representatives - diazolin, suprastin, tavegil, zirtrek);
• immunomodulators.

The block of drugs that have a delayed effect includes such groups as:

• immunosuppressants (preparations from the group of corticosteroids and cystostatics);
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (indomethacin, ibuprofen, voltaren).

Of course, this is not all groups of drugs that are used to treat allergies. This classification is given for the sole purpose - to show how wide the choice of possible treatment options and combinations of drugs. It is impossible to solve just one drug with such a global problem as an allergy. Only the doctor should select the treatment course, just like taking any medication should be done only after consultation with the attending physician, and not with the chemist's pharmacist.

It is worth paying attention to the fact that all the above groups of drugs are not used in their own form, but in an obligatory connection with other drugs, strengthening and supplementing the effect of each other. Some medications for allergy are aimed at eliminating stagnant processes that lead to the formation of edema, others destroy biologically active compounds, leading to the formation of toxic substances for the body, others are appointed with the goal of prompt removal of all decay products from the body.

Consider the most common drugs for allergies, which are prescribed as preventive drugs or, as preparations for urgent first aid.

[6], [7], [8]

Antihistamines for allergies

Before proceeding to the list of drugs included in this group, I would like to dwell on the name itself. Why exactly "antihistamines." The fact that the allergen, getting into the body, contributes to the beginning of many chemical reactions in cells, as a result of which a mass of active substances is formed, leading, ultimately, to inflammatory processes. They are called mediators of inflammation. One of these active substances is histamine.

Developed by immune cells in large numbers, histamine, activates the main inflammatory mechanisms that underlie all external negative manifestations of allergy: puffiness, itching, irritation of the skin and mucous membranes, rashes, redness. Allergy manifests itself not only by external signs. Inside the body, there are also negative changes. Therefore, special drugs have been developed aimed at suppressing the action of histamine by reducing or completely stopping its production. These medicines for allergies were called "antihistamines," that is, directed against histamine.

A group of antihistamines has its effect immediately. Tableted drugs are activated within 10-30 minutes, and those that are injected - for 2-5 minutes. Allergy medicines included in this group are classified by generation. In total there are, at the moment, three generations of antihistamines. The first generation of antihistamines have the greatest number of side effects, against a background of low therapeutic effect. The more perfect the generation, the higher the prevalence of the therapeutic effect over side effects. In third-generation drugs, the manifestation of side effects is minimized, with a pronounced and rapid therapeutic effect.

[9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14]

Preparations of the first generation

Common names such as suprastin, tavegil, diazolin, belong to antihistamine drugs, from the first generation. After taking such pills, after a while dry mouth, drowsiness, distracted attention is observed. Thus, the sedative function of these drugs is reflected. In some patients, against the background of taking antihistamines of the first generation, it can cause severe itching, palpitation. In addition to the side effects, there are a number of contraindications.

Preparations of the second generation

Antihistamines for allergy from the second generation have fewer side effects, but they give an additional burden to the heart, which should not be prescribed to people over 50 years old, as well as to all who suffer from cardiovascular diseases. Among the drugs of this generation, most preferences are claritin and fenistil.

Preparations of the third generation

The most common, in the last few years, antihistamines of the third generation, proved to be the most effective allergy medicines, which, moreover, have no side effects. The use of these drugs is shown at any age, starting with the infant. Despite the fact that the medicine for allergies, as such, has no pronounced side effect, there is always the possibility of developing an individual intolerance. Representatives of this group of drugs are zirtrek, telfast.

Knowing people's propensity to choose medicines "at their discretion," I want to once again emphasize that this article is written only for informational purposes in order to reveal the depth of the problem associated with the development of allergic conditions, to look into the mechanism of action of the drug, after hitting it into the body. Show that allergy medicines represent a complex classification, containing several dozen names, to choose the right one, of which, a very complicated process.