Antibiotic treatment has long been commonplace in our modern world. It is even difficult to imagine how our ancestors managed without such drugs, because a lot of bacteria and microorganisms, getting into the human body, can cause serious diseases. In some cases, they also lead to death. That is why it is necessary to consult a doctor in time and drink the medicines prescribed by him, including antibiotics. Today they are very widely produced by pharmaceutical companies. Antibiotic injections are considered the most effective. They begin to act faster and do not irritate the gastrointestinal tract. The drug "Amikacin" (RLS) belongs to a group of antibiotics that are indicated for use even in children. Because of this, it is widely prescribed by therapists and pediatricians. We will describe in detail this antibiotic of the aminoglycoside group and talk aboutits indications and contraindications.
Brief description of the medicinal product
A little earlier, we already clarified that Amikacin belongs to the antibiotics of the aminoglycoside group. The drug is considered semi-synthetic, which means it causes a small number of side effects.
The popularity of this tool was provided by its properties. The main thing is the slow adaptation of bacteria and microorganisms to the main active substance. Even after frequent treatment with this agent, bacteria do not have time to develop resistance to it.
When "Amicacin" is introduced into the body, it quickly penetrates the cell membrane of microbes. The active substance interacts with the bacterial protein. As a result, its synthesis is disrupted. After some time, the microorganisms die, and this usually happens within one or two days of treatment.
Features of the drug
After an injection of Amikacin, it very quickly penetrates into all tissues of the body. If you administered the drug intravenously, then its highest concentration will be reached in thirty minutes. With intramuscular injection, the same effect will come only after one hour.
Approximately twelve hours the effect of the administered medicine lasts. After this period of time, the injection of "Amikacin" must be repeated. It is noteworthy that the metabolism of the drug in the body does not occur. It is excreted in a slightly modified form through the kidneys in all categories of patients. In adults, this process takes about four hours. But for babies, everything happens much more slowly - up to eight hours. That's whyit is not surprising that in patients with a history of kidney disease, the elimination process takes up to one hundred hours in some cases.
The action of "Amicin" extends to gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. If we consider this issue a little more in detail, then we can say that the antibiotic copes very effectively with the following microorganisms:
- E. coli;
- salmonella;
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa;
- pseudomonas;
- shigella and so on.
The listed bacteria are gram-negative. Gram-positive organisms include:
- staphylococci;
- streptococci;
- enterococci.
However, it is worth adding that the antibiotic is not very active in relation to the last two bacteria. Most often, Amikacin (RLS) is used in these cases as adjuvant therapy. It only complements other medicines.
Keep in mind that Amikacin does not cope with anaerobic bacteria. Therefore, it is not prescribed even for a supporting effect as part of complex therapy.
Composition
Amikacin (RLS) refers to drugs that do not contain a large number of components. The active ingredient is amikacin sulfate. It is contained in all forms of drug release and ensures its effectiveness.
It can be said that the additional components that ensure the penetration of the main substance intobody tissues act as a vehicle. These components include:
- water;
- sodium disulfate;
- sodium citrate.
All of the listed substances are completely safe for humans and rarely cause an allergic reaction.
Form of release and dosage
The drug is produced by the manufacturer in only two forms: powder and solution. From the powder, you can prepare a solution of "Amikacin". Injections in this case are made after diluting the contents of the vial with Novocaine or Lidocaine. Usually this type of drug is packaged in glass bottles. Their volume does not exceed ten milliliters. The average cost of a bottle ranges from fifty rubles.
Actively prescribes Amikacin in ampoules by doctors. They contain a ready-made solution that does not need to be diluted with anything. Ampoules can go on sale in volumes of two and four milliliters. Their average cost does not exceed one hundred rubles. Carton packs contain five or ten ampoules of the antibiotic.
If we talk about the dosage of Amikacin (RLS), then you should know that in one milliliter of the solution there are two hundred and fifty milligrams of the active substance. Each vial of antibiotic powder contains one gram of active ingredient
Indications for the use of "Amicacin"
The spectrum of drug use is extremely wide. First of all, it is prescribed in cases of detection of infectious and inflammatory diseases. They are well treated with the drug evenin the most severe cases.
The list of indications for the use of "Amicacin" includes infections after surgery. Such situations are quite common in medicine and significantly complicate the patient's recovery process.
Sepsis can also be treated with this antibiotic. This is indicated in its instructions for use, but the treatment regimen is usually made by a doctor. Doing it yourself, especially in such severe cases, is strictly prohibited.
In infectious lesions of the lungs and bronchi, the therapist is likely to prescribe this drug. It will help with bronchitis, pneumonia and other diseases.
"Amikacin" is very effective in dealing with severe cases such as peritonitis. Also, a course of treatment with this antibiotic is prescribed for almost all infectious infections of the abdominal cavity.
Infections of the genitourinary system are also amenable to "Amicacin". The treatment of such diseases (and we are talking about cystitis, urethritis, pyelonephritis and other problems) is usually long and accompanied by a lot of unpleasant symptoms.
The instructions for use indicate several more diseases that are to be treated with the drug we describe. These include infections of the biliary tract, nervous system and skin. Of the most severe pathologies, meningitis and purulent infections of the skin can be distinguished.
Who should not be given Amikacin?
This antibiotic in injections has a rather modest list of contraindications, which is surprising for drugs belonging to such groups. That's whyit is widely prescribed, but it is still worth studying contraindications so as not to harm your he alth.
Of course, you should not use the drug if you are allergic to its components. Also, you will definitely have to refuse treatment in cases of serious kidney problems. Such diseases make it difficult to remove the drug from the body, which causes its accumulation and intoxication.
For expectant mothers, the drug should not be prescribed in any situation. During breastfeeding, "Amikacin" is also not indicated.
There are problems in which pediatricians prescribe the drug to infants (for example, the treatment of sepsis). However, premature babies should not be given antibiotic injections. Only in situations where the life of the infant is threatened, the doctor can decide on the course of treatment with Amikacin.
In a patient with neuritis of the facial nerve, the drug is prescribed with great care. If possible, the doctor will refuse such risky treatment. But under certain circumstances, it can still be carried out.
Some nuances of treatment
Judging by the instructions for use, Amikacin is suitable for intramuscular injection, intravenous, drip and jet. The method from the listed is chosen only by the attending physician. It comes from all indications and the severity of the disease.
In the course of treatment, the patient must undergo weekly examinations in order to monitor the condition of the kidneys. Also, special attention should be paid to the hearing test. Its sharpness cango down. This is especially true in the treatment of children. If such problems are identified, the antibiotic should be discontinued.
Therapists who diagnose infectious diseases in patients prescribe the drug in the form of infusions. This can be done intravenously through a syringe or drip. In the first option, the introduction should be slow, and in the second - within sixty minutes.
Also, you can enter the medicine and intramuscularly. Most often, a powder form is used for these purposes, but it is mixed with saline. It should be borne in mind that an injection of an antibiotic causes pain. If injected quickly, it may not dissolve, causing a number of discomforts.
Drug dosage
For each age, the attending physician will select the dosage based on a combination of factors. However, each specialist still adheres to general recommendations.
When detecting infections in newborn babies, it is required to calculate the dosage based on the baby's body weight: ten milligrams of antibiotic for every kilogram. This dosage is maintained during the first days of treatment. Then you need to recalculate the dose of the drug: seven and a half milligrams per kilogram of the child's weight. Typically, children are given two injections a day.
A similar dosage is prescribed for babies up to six years of age. At this age, an interval of twelve hours between injections of the drug should be clearly observed.
Children from six to twelve years of age can be injected after eight hours. But in this caseit is necessary to calculate the right amount of medicine, based on five milligrams per kilogram of weight.
From the age of twelve, the concentration of active substances in the body should not exceed one and a half grams per day. The dosage is calculated as follows: from five to fifteen milligrams of the substance is taken per kilogram of the patient's weight.
The course of treatment can be from five to fourteen days. This period is usually enough to completely solve he alth problems. However, in especially severe cases, an antibiotic can be injected after a six-hour interval. This is done intramuscularly.
It should be clarified that if there is a serious need for patients with renal insufficiency, the drug can be administered, but subject to certain conditions. First, the dosage should be reduced to the minimum. Secondly, the interval between injections is required to be maximized. Third, the introduction must be extremely slow. Adults need to do this for an hour and a half, and kids need two.
Using the drug for children
Doctors prescribe antibiotics to kids not only intravenously or intramuscularly. Amikacin proved to be effective in the treatment of children in the form of inhalations. It is proved that this method allows to achieve an almost instantaneous effect of the drug. Moreover, its active components immediately penetrate into the affected organs of the respiratory system. Up to seventy percent of the substance that has entered the body settles on them.
Inhalations are recommended to be done one and a half hours after eating. At the endprocedure, the child should not actively move and go outside for at least fifteen minutes. Up to five inhalations are carried out per day. With this frequency, six days of treatment is enough. It happens that the result is already achieved in three days.
Inhalation solution is prepared by mixing an antibiotic and distilled water. One treatment will require five hundred milligrams of Amikacin and three milligrams of water.
Possible side effects
During treatment, patients rarely experience adverse reactions. Most often, injections are well tolerated by the body. This applies even to infants and the elderly. However, in some cases, side effects are still possible, and the doctor should warn the patient about them.
Since the antibiotic enters the body by intramuscular and intravenous administration, the digestive system rarely suffers during treatment. But some patients complained of nausea, vomiting and liver problems.
The reaction of the nervous system brings the patient much trouble. It gives headaches, irritability, increased drowsiness. Also, the patient may feel numbness of the tissues and tingling in the limbs. Sometimes these symptoms are accompanied by muscle twitching. In the most extreme case, respiratory arrest occurs.
If the patient has some problems with the hematopoietic system, then antibiotic treatment can provoke anemia of any severity.
The patient's hearing is particularly affected by Amikacin. Moreover, in a certain group of patients, the situation reachesirreversible stage. In parallel, there are likely to be problems with coordination of movements.
If we talk about allergic reactions, they are manifested by itching, redness of the skin, swelling and other unpleasant symptoms. Sometimes side effects occur at the injection site. The patient feels pain for a long time, which can then transform into dermatitis. Possible phlebitis.
Overdose symptoms
Any drug, if used incorrectly, will cause an overdose. This is especially true when treated with antibiotics. You can tell that you have overdosed by a number of symptoms.
Initially, the problem makes itself felt with nausea, pain in the abdomen, severe headaches and a complete loss of appetite. In the case of Amikacin, this will be accompanied by hearing loss and possible convulsions.
It is impossible to help a patient at home. If you notice symptoms of an overdose in your loved ones, then immediately call a team of doctors or take the person to the hospital yourself. There he will undergo hemodialysis. There is no other way to rid him of an excessive amount of antibiotic in the body.
Analogues of Amikacin
Sometimes a patient cannot take a given antibiotic for one reason or another. Then analogues come to the rescue. Amikacin has quite a few of them, and all of them are effective and cope with a large number of infectious diseases.
Amikabol and Amiksin are among the most common diseases. Hematsin andLycacin.
Summing up
Patients treated with Amikacin claim to be surprised by its effectiveness and cost. Many did not even suspect that on the second day of treatment with such an inexpensive and simple remedy they would notice improvements in their condition.
At the same time, most patients write that they did not notice any side effects. They were leading normal lives and doing well.
In general, the antibiotic interacts well with other drugs. Therefore, therapists prescribe it as part of complex therapy. The only restriction concerns diuretics. They significantly reduce the effectiveness of Amikacin, which provokes an increase in the daily dosage to the maximum allowable.
