The latest WHO data showed that the number of allergy sufferers in Russia has increased by 20%. The figure is serious and requires the adoption of appropriate measures. Of course, with the development of medicine, allergy becomes an easily eliminated ailment; recently, positive reviews about Zodak drops have been encountered with enviable regularity. Is the drug really so effective and what is its peculiarity? Read a detailed review of Zodak allergy drops in this article.
Information and composition
According to the manufacturer, one milliliter of the drug contains 10 mg of cetirizine dihydrochloride. The composition also contains the following additional substances: methyl parahydroxybenzoate, propyl parahydroxybenzoate, glycerol, propylene glycol, sodium saccharinate dihydrate, sodium acetate trihydrate, glacial acetic acid and, of course, purified water.
The composition is very gentle when compared withother antiallergic drugs, and excipients are used mainly to dilute the concentration of the main one and preserve its medicinal properties in the package, that is, for preservation. Due to the similar composition of Zodak drops, the color of the solution may vary from transparent to light yellow.
Pharmacotherapeutic group. Pharmacological properties
The manufacturer claims the drug is an antiallergic agent, an antihistamine for H1 receptors.
The following properties are indicated in the instructions for Zodak drops:
- Blocks histamine receptors.
- Prevents the development of allergies and facilitates the course of its reactions.
- Significantly affects reactions such as rashes and redness in the patient. Studies have also been conducted confirming the safety of the drug for people with allergies and moderate to mild bronchial asthma.
- If the recommended dosages are observed, improvement in well-being has been shown both in "seasonal" and year-round allergy sufferers.
- In a study of the effect on children aged 5 to 12 years, their susceptibility to the drug was shown. The same goes for babies aged 6-11 months. However, the use of the drug in children from 6 to 12 months is allowed only by prescription and under the supervision of specialists.
Regarding drug absorption:
The maximum concentration of cetirizine in the blood is reached within 1.0-1.5 hours and reaches a limit of 300 ng/ml. At the same time, food intake does not worsen the amount of absorbed substance, but reducesthe speed of this process. Moreover, the form of the solution, capsules and tablets are comparable in their properties
Regarding elimination from the body:
It is linear, depending on age, weight, dosage. The half-life, on average, is 10 hours. The instructions for Zodak drops indicate the period of use - ten days at a daily dosage of 10 mg, when no accumulation of the drug in the body was recorded. However, more specific figures can be given by the attending physician in a particular case
Indications for use
Of course, the main indication for children over the age of six months and adults are allergic symptoms, which can be alleviated with the correct use of Zodak drops. Also, the drug is used in the presence of the following conditions:
- allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis (year-round and seasonal);
- chronic urticaria;
- Quincke's edema;
- lacrimation, rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, itching and sneezing due to the above and other allergic diseases.
Before diagnosing something similar to the above points, you should consult a specialist, because the use of Zodak drops for adults and children should be under medical supervision.
Contraindications
To avoid unpleasant situations in the form of a deterioration in he alth status or the emergence of new diseases, you should familiarize yourself with the listcontraindications. Many ignore this item, believing that only an excess of the dosage of Zodak drops can make you feel unwell, but below is a list of prohibitions.
- If there is hypersensitivity to any components of the drug, especially to cetirizine and hydroxyzine.
- End-stage renal failure, where CC is less than 10 ml/min.
- Because studies on very young children are unsafe, the drug is also unacceptable for use before the age of six months.
- Pregnancy at any time. Accordingly, a child in the womb is even smaller and more vulnerable than in the first six months of life, so medicine for expectant mothers is also banned.
Using the drug and dosage for patients
The use of Zodak drops according to the instructions is very simple. Use the medicine inside, after dropping the solution into a spoon or dissolving it in a certain amount of liquid. The solution should be used immediately. This approach is especially well used for babies, since Zodak children's drops are not produced, due to the versatility of the product.
- For adults. The dosage is 10 mg once a day, which is 20 drops. Often half the dose is enough if it is enough to achieve the result.
- Elderly people. For those whose kidneys are functioning normally, there is no need to reduce the dosage.
- People with impaired kidney function. In such patients, the drug is prescribed only in the case when there is no alternative treatment option. Then the dosage is adjusted based on the CC (creatinine clearance), since the main substance cetirizine is excreted from the body to a greater extent through the kidneys. The calculation of the value of QC for men and women occurs in different ways. The following are formulas compiled by the manufacturer.
Calculation formula for men: CC (ml/min)=[140 - age (in years)] × body weight (in kilograms) ÷ 72 × CC serum (mg/dl).
For women, QC is calculated in the same way, only the result is multiplied by 0.85.
For adults with impaired renal function, the dose is calculated from the table below.
| Renal failure (by severity) | CC (ml/min) | Dosage |
| Norma | More than 80 | 10 mg/day |
| Easy | 50–79 | 10 mg/day |
| Average | 30–49 | 5mg/day |
| Heavy | Less than 30 | 5mg every other day |
| Terminal stage (hemodialysis patient) | Less than 10 | Medication prohibited |
People with impaired liver function. In this case, no correction is required, but if a dysfunction is diagnosed at the same time askidneys and liver, it is necessary to build on the calculations indicated in the table above.
Children. Recall once again that for drops "Zodak" children's dosages (for babies under the age of one year) are not provided, they can only be prescribed by a doctor.
Age 6 months to 1 year: 2.5mg (equivalent to 5 drops) consumed once a day.
Ages 1 to 6 years: 2.5 mg (5 drops) twice a day.
Ages 6 to 12: 5 mg (10 drops) twice a day.
Age 12+: 10mg (20 drops) once a day. As with the adult dosage, a minimum dose of 5mg (10 drops) can be quite effective.
If the child has renal insufficiency, then the dosage is calculated taking into account the indicators of CC and body weight.
Side effects and drug overdose
Data on whether there are side effects of Zodak drops and the effect on the human body were obtained from clinical studies.
As a result, minor negative effects were revealed that manifest themselves on the part of the human central nervous system, such as increased drowsiness, fatigue, headaches and dizziness. Some cases revealed, on the contrary, stimulation of the central nervous system. Rarely, but there was difficulty urinating, dysfunction of the visual apparatus (false myopia) and dry mouth. Sometimes there was a deterioration in the function of the liver, which was combined with an increase in the activity of its enzymes.
In most cases after discontinuationthe previous dosage of drops "Zodak" negative symptoms come to naught. Please note that the above results are averages. Accordingly, in fact, the risk of side effects is less. A more specific list of reactions can be found in the detailed instructions inside the package.
Post-registration application. In addition to the above phenomena, additional adverse reactions have been identified and described in the period of post-registration use.
This could include some of the list of rare, very rare, and cases of unknown frequency. These are: thrombocytopenia, hypersensitivity reaction, and even less often anaphylactic shock, increased appetite, agitation, convulsions, taste changes, vertigo, dystonia, tremor, sleep disturbance, diarrhea, tachycardia, enuresis, weight gain.
Basically, the emphasis in compiling this list is on the prevention of any diseases that may develop as a result of the side effects of Zodak drops. Their registration allows active monitoring of the balance of benefits and risks of this drug for he alth.
From the clinical side, the symptoms of an overdose are mainly reflected in the effect on the central nervous system of a person. At a dose of 50 mg, the following reactions were observed: confusion, weak stools, dizziness and decreased activity, headaches, general malaise, itchy skin, irritability and stress, weakness, tremors and urinary retention. Often there were symptoms of tachycardia and stupor.
Despite the fact that studies have recorded an increased percentage of drowsiness after the use of the drug, compared with the placebo group, based on practice, it can be said with confidence that the unpleasant consequences were mild and insignificant. Most of the subjects noted that such side effects had no effect on daily life and its quality.
Overdose treatment. If an overdose of Zodak drops occurs, it is urgent to stop using the medicine, provoke vomiting, and take measures to wash the stomach. It will also be useful to drink the amount of activated charcoal required by weight, consult a doctor if after some time there is no improvement, since there are no specific antidotes.
Drug interactions with other drugs
There was no specific combination of cetirizine and other drugs that would have a negative impact on he alth. Additional studies have been conducted, during which it turned out that the simultaneous use of drugs and alcohol, as well as other drugs that weaken the normal functioning of the central nervous system, can provoke an even greater decrease in a person’s concentration of attention and his speed of reaction to events. Although cetirizine will not increase the effect of alcohol if its concentration in the blood is 0.5 g / l.
Contraindications
- Use during pregnancy and lactation. Data analyzes were done on more than 700 outcomespregnancy, where no malformations of the embryo or fetus were detected. However, there have been no serious and well-controlled studies in pregnant women, so the instructions for the Zodak drug prohibit the use of the drug in this case.
- During lactation, the use of the drug is possible only if the benefit to the mother is greater than the hypothetical risk to the child, since the active substance is found directly in the mother's milk, and in a decent amount (from 25 to 90 percent), and, of course, it can enter the baby's body, so the use must be agreed with the doctor and monitored by specialists who can control how to properly take Zodak in drops.
- Driving vehicles and engaging in hazardous activities. With a thorough assessment of the ability to drive a car, as well as work with mechanisms, certain negative factors have not been found for certain that would arise after applying the Zodak drops according to the instructions. However, if there is a side effect in the form of drowsiness, weakness, dizziness while taking the drug, then it would be more logical to abandon dangerous activities and driving vehicles, where increased concentration and attention are needed.
- Chronic kidney failure and disruption of their working functions. It is necessary to consult a doctor and take into account the data from the table above.
- Patients of retirement and old age. If there is a decrease in the quality of glomerular filtration.
- Most types of epilepsy andincreased convulsive readiness of the body.
- Spinal cord injury and growth of tumors in the prostate gland, as well as other factors predisposing to urinary retention.
In addition to the above, there is a potential depressant effect on the human central nervous system, therefore, when prescribing Zodak drops during pregnancy, studying the medical history of a particular patient, especially a child, is simply necessary, since there are a number of factors that increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome in under one year of age.
- Sleep apnea or sudden infant death syndrome in the patient's siblings.
- Maternal drug use or smoking during pregnancy.
- Mother's age is under nineteen.
- If there is a smoking person near the child (for example, a nanny) who smokes more than one pack a day.
- If the baby regularly falls asleep face down and is not turned over on his back.
- Premature baby (gestational age less than 37 weeks) born with low birth weight.
- If there is a simultaneous intake of drugs that have a negative effect on the nervous system of the child.
- If the composition of such preparations includes auxiliary substances, such as methylparabenzene and propylparabenzene. They may cause allergic responses, including delayed reactions.
Release form, conditions for safe storage of Zodak drops from allergies
The drug is declared by the manufacturer as a medicine in the form of drops for oral administration 10 mg/ml.
Produced in a dark glass bottle of 20 ml, corked with a special stopper with a dropper function, as well as a child-proof cap. After use, the bottle must be capped again and re-tightened tightly. Each bottle comes in a set with detailed instructions for use and is placed with it in a cardboard box. It does not require special storage conditions. And yet, it involves storage in a place that is exclusively safe from children, for example, in a first-aid kit or a special medical case.
The expiration date of Zodak drops is 3 years from the date of issue, its date is indicated on the package. Use after the expiration date is dangerous and prohibited. The medicine should be disposed of immediately.
Analogues of the drug
Of course, this medicine has analogues similar in property and purpose, often with minimal differences. Since the pharmaceutical industry has made significant progress in recent years, the range of drugs offered has also expanded. For example, how long do Zodak drops work? On average, the action time is about 24 hours. And if you need a stronger or, on the contrary, weaker antihistamine? Or there were no drops in the pharmacy?
Here are a few analogues of Zodak drops.
The most expensive is Parlazin. However, effective, rapidly absorbed, despite the use of food. The duration of action is similar and equal to 1 day. Available foruse for children from the year.
"Zirtek" - the same 24 hours are valid, it is forbidden for children under one year old, since studies in this area have not been conducted. The release form of the drug is limited to the version in tablets, therefore, in the case of use for children, it is advisable to crush the dose and stir in a small amount of liquid.
"Citrine" - also has a release form exclusively in the form of tablets. In general, the drug is aimed at a more adult audience, since the use of "Citrine" is possible only from the age of six. The use of food does not greatly affect the rate of absorption of the drug formulation.
Reviews about Zodak drops from patients are mostly positive, since the medicine has the most gentle form and is allowed for children from six months, if necessary. It is better to decide which drug to treat allergies for yourself or children, not on your own, but in consultation with your doctor, since the medicine may show an adverse reaction that needs to be controlled.
An important factor in favor of choosing this drug is its price. In comparison with analogues, the efficiency is almost equal, but the cost is different. As for the form of release, it is easier to use drops for people of any age, regardless of time and place, besides, the packaging has a convenient pipette dispenser. You should also always pay attention to expiration dates, the integrity of the packaging and never be shy to ask for documents for medicine at a pharmacy. A conscientious pharmacist will provide them without any problems. Also notforget to follow the rules of dosage and use of the drug.
