Give preference to the original drug or to bet on generics? This question haunts many visitors to pharmacies. And the reason for doubt lies on the surface: why spend money on expensive “magic pills” when you can buy an identical drug for a more modest amount?
Is the "understudy" always worse than the patented sample and how to understand which medicine is more effective and safer? For clarity, you should familiarize yourself with the most popular medicines focused on combating skin diseases.
High price - impeccable quality: V altrex
Instructions for use (analogues, although they have an identical composition, cannot be prescribed for use on the basis of this guide) defines V altrex as an antiviral agent based on valaciclovir and assigns it the role of an effective tool in the fight against herpes. Entering the human body, activethe substance under the influence of metabolic processes changes its structure. As a result, L-valine and acyclovir are formed. Further transformation of the reagents results in the synthesis of acyclovir triphosphate, which acts as an inhibitor of the DNA polymerase of a pathogenic agent. In simple terms, V altrex (reviews for herpes about this drug are mostly positive) reduces the activity of the virus by inhibiting the evolution of its deoxyribonucleic acid.
Valacyclovir primarily ensures the localization and suppression of infectious sources resulting from the development of cytomegalovirus and / or Epstein-Barr virus. In turn, the herpes virus of the first, second and sixth type also falls under the scope of the drug and is neutralized by its components.
Medical indications for the use of the drug
The use of "V altrex" is advisable in the case of:
- diagnosing herpes zoster;
- detection of symptoms of infectious irritation of the mucous membranes;
- reasoned suspicions of recurrent genital or labial herpes;
- need for prevention of skin diseases;
- postoperative complications in transplantology.
It should be noted that the most effective and affordable analogue ("V altrex" has dozens of "understudies") - a drug under the trade name "Acyclovir" - by the nature of pharmacological reactionsalmost identical to the eminent original and can be prescribed as an alternative drug. The only caveat concerns the fight against relapses: it is generally accepted that a synonymous drug is less productive in this sense.
Practical side of the issue: method of application and dosage
V altrex tablets (analogue mentioned above, available on the market both in the form of tablets and in injection / cream form) should be swallowed whole, without violating the integrity of the shell. The frequency of admission, the duration of the course and the dosage of the drug are regulated by a specific diagnosis.
So, for example, with herpes zoster, the daily intake should be six tablets: 3 times 2 units. The recommended duration of therapy in this case is 7 days (the exact time period is determined by the attending physician). Prevention of cytomegalovirus infection requires much more serious efforts from the patient. Here we are already talking about four daily doses, each of which involves the use of four pills. And this schedule will need to be followed for three months. But the herpes simplex virus can be cured with V altrex in a matter of days: up to ten days, one tablet in the morning and in the evening.
Restrictions and cautions
Special conditions of use should be observed when treating with valaciclovir. The fact is that the active substance, along with providing a therapeutic effect, sometimes provokes an exacerbation of chronic diseases. For this reason, all drugswhich contain the specified component, it is necessary to prescribe adjusted for the condition of a particular patient ("Acyclovir" as an analogue, "V altrex" as the original is fully subject to this rule).
In particular, disorders in the functioning of the kidneys are a signal that therapy must necessarily be accompanied by control of the level of hydration of the body (especially important for elderly patients). It should also be remembered that in case of congenital hepatic pathologies or transplantation of this organ, even low doses of V altrex are potentially dangerous (despite the fact that the effect of the drug is aimed at suppressing infections caused by cytomegalovirus). The lack of reliable data on the reaction of the fetus to the components of the drug imposes a restriction on its use during pregnancy. The appointment of V altrex during lactation is justified in exceptional cases.
Side effects of V altrex
Despite the high cost and positive reviews, "V altrex", as well as any other medicine, has a number of disadvantages, manifested in the form of reversible side effects. The most common ones are:
- headaches followed by dizziness;
- various gastrointestinal disorders (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.);
- functional disorders of the kidneys and excretory ducts;
- reduced or, on the contrary, excessively increased tone;
- tremor turning into convulsions;
- skin allergies and edema.
By the way, any analogue(“V altrex” is most often compared with “Acyclovir”) is also imperfect: after taking it, in addition to the above negative reactions, patients sometimes experience causeless fatigue against the background of activation of liver enzymes. In addition, isolated cases were noted when the prescription of a “doubler” drug led to an increase in the concentration of urea and creatine.
Worthy analogue: "V altrex" or "Acyclovir"
Perfect drugs, as you know, do not exist. Nevertheless, evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of the V altrex drug (reviews for herpes in terms of emotional and informational load are approximately the same as the comments on Acyclovir), we can conclude that it is fully pharmacologically competent.
If we draw functional parallels with a “understudy”, the price of which is three to four times lower, and the medicinal properties are almost the same, the advantage still remains with the patented original. The basis for such a statement is the mechanism of absorption of reagents.
Valacyclovir - the basic component of "V altrex" - is able to overcome the blood-brain barrier even before transformation into acyclovir and thereby remain active until the moment of meeting with viral DNA; the active component of the drug-synonym begins to act directly at the start of metabolic processes, as a result of which it loses part of the therapeutic potential. And yet, thanks to the balanced pharmacological kinetics, the drug with the trade name "Acyclovir" positively stands out from the rest.analogues.
For what purpose is Acyclovir prescribed?
The relatively high price of the V altrex drug (analogues are several times cheaper) is not the only reason why the attending physician indicates Acyclovir in the prescription. It's just that sometimes, due to diagnostic features, there is no need to use a powerful original.
A specific example. The patient has kidney and liver problems. The formula of the active substance of the drug "V altrex" is selected in such a way as to guarantee the maximum rate of excretion of components from the body. But valacyclovir, transforming, quite heavily loads those very problematic organs of the patient. Therefore, from a medical point of view, it is advisable to use an analogue drug with a modified output algorithm.
And the global purpose of the appointment of "Acyclovir" is still the same - the neutralization of infections of viral origin (the fight against herpes and its derivatives).
Forms of release of the drug "Acyclovir" and recommended doses
The original drug "V altrex" (instruction, analogues, dosage and special conditions of use are described above) has a tablet form. Aciclovir is available as tablets, cream, and intravenous solution.
Infusions are generally reserved for severe infections only. The drug is administered at 5 mg/kg 3 times a day for 5 days. Under standard conditions for the course of the disease, the synonymous drug is prescribed in the form of pills, which must be taken in the following quantity:
- five timesone unit per day (5-10 days) if herpes simplex is diagnosed;
- five times a day for four units (7 days) if suspicions of shingles are confirmed.
The cream is applied to the affected area 5 times a day for 5-10 days.
Arguments in favor of the original and generics
All known analogues of V altrex (reviews about them, by the way, can be found very different: from laudatory speeches to merciless criticism) contain ingredients identical to those present in the original.
However, it is impossible to talk about the complete similarity of an expensive drug with more affordable generics. Belonging to different price groups is determined by the following criteria:
- the degree of purification of reagents and the number of side effects;
- presence/absence of auxiliary components;
- ease of use.
But the most important factor is the international patent: V altrex has it, Acyclovir does not. Although, again, we must not forget that the lion's share of fakes on the pharmaceutical market are low-quality copies of expensive originals. It is economically unprofitable to engage in counterfeit production of generics.
Summary of other synonymous drugs
The question of what to choose - "V altrex" or "Acyclovir" - is not entirely correct and does not fully reflect the current situation (although the leadership is still assigned to the original by a majority of votes). Today, the list of available analogues includes severaldozens of positions, and only an experienced doctor is able to determine whether a particular "understudy" is suitable for the role of the main drug or not. For example, the pharmacological duel between V altrex and Famvir is unlikely to reveal a winner (due to metabolic nuances, famciclovir sometimes gives results where other drugs are powerless, but often works idle in the most ordinary cases). But "Medovir" in terms of the effectiveness of the preventive course has every chance to get ahead.
