Often, faced with he alth problems, a person is helpless and confused. The treatment of serious pathologies, of course, should be entrusted to doctors, but knowing the mechanism of action of some drugs and being able to choose the right analogues will not hurt anyone. If we are talking about epileptic seizures and convulsive readiness, then the patient should know everything about the drug "Difenin".
Healing properties
In case of epilepsy and increased convulsive readiness, it is important to be able to block seizures in time, since the frequency and intensity of seizures negatively affect the centers of the brain and significantly reduce brain activity. The patient's quality of life deteriorates significantly with each attack, the recovery process is usually long and complicated. Therefore, it is desirable to stop a convulsive attack in time, choosing the right drug, taking into account the nature and course of the disease. One of the mostcommon anticonvulsant drugs is the drug "Difenin". Its advantages are that it selectively inhibits the motor centers of the brain, while restoring and maintaining the functions of the vestibular apparatus. Thus, the effect of anticonvulsant action is achieved, which maintains normal brain activity for a long time.
Drug shown…
"Difenin" is prescribed mainly for the relief of large convulsive seizures, without causing a side effect of sleeping pills. In the case of a mixed genesis of large and small seizures, doctors, as a rule, prescribe Trimetin as an additional therapy for stopping small convulsive readiness. The advantages of such treatment are the absence of a sedative effect. Sometimes, against the background of surgery on the brain or brain injuries, psychomotor convulsive states occur, which can also be stopped with the help of the Difenin drug. Tablets are usually prescribed in a dosage of one 2-3 times a day. The drug is also used in cardiology for cardiac arrhythmias. To stop attacks in these cases, doctors prescribe a tablet three times a day.
Side effects
Like any drug, "Difenin" when used can cause some side effects. This drug should not be used for a long time, as its excess in the body can cause dizziness and impaired coordination of movements. Sometimes against the background of taking "Difenin"the patient may experience nausea, vomiting, stomach pain. Some patients feel tremor, pain in the eyes. In the event of such pathological conditions, doctors select an adequate replacement for the drug "Difenin". Analogues that exist on the modern pharmaceutical market allow you to adjust the treatment taking into account the individual characteristics of the organism. In addition, in some patients, the use of Difenin radically changes the blood picture, leading to anemia and leukopenia.
The drug is contraindicated…
When prescribing "Difenin" as a drug, doctors usually take into account the presence of pathologies of the liver and kidneys, heart failure. The drug is not prescribed for peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum. The use of Difenin by pregnant women and, of course, nursing mothers is strictly contraindicated. Analogues of the drug act in some cases sparingly, this helps doctors choose the right treatment, taking into account the existing concomitant diseases in the patient's history. Patients suffering from depletion of the body on the background of diets and malnutrition are strongly discouraged from using Difenin as a medicine, since it has the function of suppressing appetite. The drug should not be used to treat patients with vitamin D deficiency in the body, as taking "Difenin" will aggravate the condition.
Treatment of children
Anticonvulsants are successfully used to relieve the condition of young patients, while the dosage is prescribed in accordance with the age category. Unfortunately, side effects in children during treatment with anticonvulsants are still quite frequent. The baby has dizziness, nausea, drowsiness. When adjusting the dosage downwards, these manifestations, as a rule, disappear. Sometimes there may be significant disturbances in the blood picture: leukopenia, aplastic anemia.
Practice shows that the drug "Difenin" has a slight side effect. Analogues in this regard are more dangerous for babies, especially such as "Trimetin", "Phenacemide". Against the background of taking these drugs, the child may experience visual impairment, photophobia. However, the practice of treatment with these drugs shows that they have the most effective effect in the treatment of childhood epilepsy. Therefore, treatment should be carried out under the strict supervision of a pediatric neurologist and only as directed by a specialist.
Special instructions when using "Difenin"
In the treatment of epilepsy with this anticonvulsant, abrupt discontinuation is not recommended, as this may lead to a withdrawal syndrome. If it is necessary to stop using the drug against the background of side effects or hypersensitivity reactions, it is worth choosing another anticonvulsant drug that does not contain hydantoin derivatives. How to replace "Difenin", the attending doctor can decide. The main thing is that the replacement should go unnoticed, without abrupt cancellation of treatment as a whole. It is possible to replace the drug "Chloracon" or "Trimetin", however, it should also be borne in mind that the latter is prescribed only for small convulsive seizures and is ineffective for large convulsions. Taking substitute drugs should also be carried out under the supervision of the attending doctor, as other side effects may occur that correspond to the action of these drugs. During the period of treatment with Difenin, the patient especially needs a special diet that satisfies the need for vitamin D in the body, and exposure to ultraviolet radiation is also necessary. "Difenin" itself and a substitute for "Difenin" significantly slow down the speed of psychomotor reactions, which should be taken into account by persons engaged in potentially hazardous activities.
Key principles of anticonvulsant treatment
The main treatment for epilepsy is drug therapy. The basic principles of such therapy are:
- Early start of treatment.
- Preference for monotherapy.
- The right choice of drug for the treatment of seizures.
- Use rational drug combinations when necessary.
- Abrupt drug withdrawal is unacceptable.
- Duration and continuity of therapy with the gradual withdrawal of the drug when a stable remission occurs.
In the event that the patient feels well onthe background of taking this medication, the doctor can adjust the treatment using a drug that is completely identical in action to the Difenin drug. The synonyms of this drug are known under the names "Dilantin", "Phenytoin".
Therapy "Difenin" trigeminal neuralgia
In addition to the number of diseases shown, "Difenin" is also effectively used to treat trigeminal neuralgia. This drug is used as a second-line drug, combined with Carbamazepine. The dosage during treatment is selected by the doctor, the effectiveness of the drug has been clinically tested.
An important aspect is that while taking "Difenin" the psychological state of the patient improves, drowsiness is not caused. That is why it is used in psychiatric and neurological practice with the success of "Difenin". Analogues of this drug, which have the same beneficial effect, are known under the names "Chlorakon" and "Phenakon". Positively influencing the psychological tone of the patient, the action of these drugs is similar to some extent to the action of antidepressants, which is especially important for a patient with a chronic disease or a disease accompanied by severe pain.
Principles of drug substitution
Recently, there have been some difficulties with the receipt of the drug "Difenin" in pharmacy chains. Manufacturerof this anticonvulsant - Lugansk Chemical Pharmaceutical Plant (Ukraine), OAO "Usolye-Sibirskiy Chemical Pharmaceutical Plant" and LLC "Pharmstandard". Some difficulties with the political situation in Ukraine led to a reduction in the supply of this drug to the network of Russian pharmacies. On the modern pharmaceutical market, there are more than ten names of analogues. What can replace "Difenin", the attending physician must decide, he will also adjust the treatment regimen in accordance with the rules for taking a new drug. When replacing a drug, it is important to choose an adequate replacement, only a qualified specialist can do this, based on the individual indicators of the patient.
