Why is Piracetam prescribed to patients? You will learn the answer to this question from this article. We will also provide you with information on how to take this remedy, in what form it is produced, whether it has side effects and contraindications, whether it can be used during lactation and during pregnancy.
Forms of the drug, packaging and composition
Before telling you why Piracetam is prescribed by doctors, you should tell you in what form it can be purchased at pharmacies.
Today there are several forms of this drug. Consider them in more detail.
- Capsules. This form of the drug contains 0.4 g of piracetam and goes on sale in cardboard packs of 60 pieces.
- 20% solution. This form is sold in 5 ml ampoules, which, in turn, are placed in cartons of 10 pieces.
- Pills. The drug is covered with a yellow shell and contains 0.2 g of the active substance. Buytablets can be in a cardboard box of 120 or 60 pieces.
- Pellets for babies. The drug has a light pink color (let's say a brownish precipitate), is available in glass jars of 56 g.
It should also be noted that each form of the drug has its own excipients.
Drug pharmacodynamics
Why can Piracetam be prescribed to a person? This is a nootropic drug that can have a positive effect on the blood circulation of the brain and its metabolic processes.
The drug improves metabolic processes and increases the utilization of glucose. It also inhibits the aggregation of activated platelets.
Reception "Piracetam" has a protective effect in case of brain damage caused by electric shock, intoxication or hypoxia. In addition, this drug improves the integrative work of the brain, without having a psychostimulating and sedative effect.
Drug properties
What properties does Piracetam have? What is this remedy for? The drug in question is able to activate associative processes in the central nervous system, as well as improve mood and memory in both sick and he althy people.
Why can Piracetam be prescribed to children? This tool is able to increase intellectual activity, increase mental performance, facilitate learning processes, improve conductivity (synaptic) in the cerebral cortex and connections between its hemispheres (left and right). Alsothe drug restores and stabilizes impaired speech, memory and consciousness.
How a drug works
How does Piracetam work? What is it used for by young people and the elderly?
The drug in question normalizes the ratio of ATP and ADP, and also activates phospholipases A, accelerates the metabolism of neurotransmitters and helps stimulate plastic and bioenergetic processes in nerve tissues.
Why can Piracetam (injections, powder, capsules and tablets) be prescribed to patients? This drug is able to block platelet aggregation, improve microcirculation and optimize the passage of red blood cells through microscopic vessels.
It should also be noted that this remedy increases regional blood circulation in ischemic areas of the brain, enhances alpha and beta activity, but at the same time reduces delta activity.
The drug reduces vestibular nystagmus. With hypoxia, trauma and intoxication, it has a neuroprotective effect.
Due to its antihypoxic properties, this drug is very effective in the complex therapy of myocardial infarction.
Pharmacokinetics of the drug
How long is the Piracetam medication absorbed (for what purpose is this remedy prescribed, we will tell further)? After oral administration, the drug is rapidly and completely absorbed. Its bioavailability is one hundred percent.
Oral administration of the drug in the amount of 2 g givesmaximum plasma concentration after thirty minutes. The agent does not bind to proteins, penetrates into all organs and tissues, including through the placental barrier.
The drug is practically not metabolized, but selectively accumulates in the parietal, occipital and frontal areas of the brain, as well as in the cerebellum and basal ganglia.
The half-life of this drug is five hours. About 95% of the drug is excreted in the urine unchanged (after about thirty hours). In people with kidney failure, this period of time is longer.
What is Piracetam for? Indications for use
The considered nootropic agent has a wide spectrum of action. According to the instructions, indications for its use are the following conditions:
- ischemic stroke and all its consequences;
- Chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency (such as atherosclerosis, hypertension or vascular parkinsonism) accompanied by headaches, dizziness, impaired memory, speech and attention;
- dementia (including Alzheimer's disease);
- aphasia;
- viral neuroinfection (acute);
- diseases of the nervous system, accompanied by a decrease in intellectual and mnestic functions, the degree of wakefulness, as well as a violation of the emotional and volitional sphere, behavior;
- intoxication (including during the recovery period, subcoma and coma);
- dizziness;
- psychoorganic disorders;
- sluggish and apathetic state;
- cortical myoclonus;
- traumatic brain injury;
- epilepsy (as an aid);
- vestibular nystagmus;
- atrophic and senile processes.
At what deviations is the drug "Piracetam" prescribed? Why drink this remedy and make injections? In addition to the above, this medication also has indications such as:
- neurological, somatovegetative, psychic complications after treatment with psychotropic drugs and antipsychotics;
- acute amphetamine, ethanol, barbiturate or morphine intoxication;
- depressive conditions resistant to antidepressant treatment;
- neurotic depression with asthenic and senesto-hypochondriac disorders, as well as adynamia and phenomena of ideomotor retardation;
- withdrawal, pre - and delirious states in alcoholism and drug addiction;
- psychoorganic syndrome in alcoholism (chronic);
- sickle cell anemia (in complex treatment).
Why do doctors often recommend Piracetam tablets, as well as capsules and powder, to their little patients? Such a drug is prescribed for cerebral palsy, mental retardation, the consequences of perinatal CNS damage, low learning ability (with psychoorganic syndrome), oligophrenia, speech disorders,memory impairment and intellectual deficiency.
Lactation and pregnancy
Can Piracetam be taken during pregnancy? What is it for? Some experts prescribe the remedy in question to women in a position according to indications. However, it should be recalled that this medication easily crosses the placental barrier, as well as into breast milk. In this regard, it is contraindicated during lactation and during gestation. Otherwise, it may adversely affect the he alth of the child.
Contraindications
When should you not use Piracetam (injections, oral forms)? This remedy is not prescribed for hypersensitivity (including to pyrrolidone derivatives), as well as Huntington's disease, severe renal failure, pregnancy, agitated depression, hemorrhagic stroke and breastfeeding. Also, this medication should not be given to children under one year old.
Uses
Now you know why Piracetam tablets can be prescribed to patients. Now I should tell you about how to take this remedy.
At the beginning of therapy, a solution of piracetam is administered intravenously at a dose of 10 g. Then the amount of the drug is reduced and switched to oral administration. Inside, the drug is taken before meals at a dosage of 800 mg (in 3 divided doses). After improvement of the condition, the amount of the drug is reduced to 400 mg. The duration of such treatment is 6-8 weeks.
It should be especially noted that the dailyThe dosage of the drug "Piracetam" may be different and depend on the type and severity of the disease. As for the duration of treatment, it is determined only by the doctor according to the medical examination.
Children are prescribed this drug no more than 30-50 mg per day. In this case, therapy should be long-term. The oral solution is given to the child 2 times a day (morning and evening). It can be added to fruit juice or other drinks.
Adverse reactions
Can the use of Piracetam medication cause undesirable consequences? Injections, as well as oral forms of the drug, can indeed cause adverse reactions. The most common ones include the following:
- Metabolism: weight gain.
- Sense organs and nervous system: drowsiness, hyperkinesia, depression, irritability, asthenia, agitation, aggression, sleep disturbance, increased sexuality, dizziness, tremor and headache.
- Digestive tract: Vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea and nausea.
- Skin: hypersensitivity.
- Circulation: arterial hypotension, hypertension, coronary insufficiency (in the acute stage).
Overdose
When overdosing with Piracetam, all side effects increase. Gastric lavage is used as treatment, as well as the use of absorbents.
