"Paracetamol" (synthetic compound para-acetaminophenol) is a non-narcotic analgesic from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. For many years, he has led the composition of most drugs prescribed for adults and children for any manifestations of colds and flu. Therefore, anyone can choose for themselves an analogue of "Paracetamol", in which the concentration of the active substance will be much lower.
The main advantage of this drug is the almost complete absence of toxicity, due to which it is considered one of the most harmless medicines for the body and is available in pharmacies without a prescription. However, despite this, you should still consult a doctor before using it, because long-term use of Paracetamol or any of its analogues can have a negative effect on the functioning of the kidneys and liver.
Basic data
Despite the fact that the instructions for "Paracetamol" say that it can be used to effectively reduce the temperature in children as early as three months, most doctors do not recommend giving this medicine to preschoolers, advisinguse an analogue of Paracetamol instead. Thanks to the variety of paracetamol-containing drugs, anyone can, after consulting with a specialist, choose the drug that is ideally suited for the price and composition.
For the same reason, you should not combine "Paracetamol" with other drugs without first consulting a doctor, since the simultaneous use of the mentioned drug with other paracetamol-containing drugs can provoke an overdose and contribute to the development of a number of diseases.
How long does it take to see results?
When ingesting paracetamol-containing drugs, the maximum concentration of the active substance in the blood will be reached in half an hour, and therefore the expected effect of taking it will become noticeable after a few hours. During this time, paracetamol enters the liver, where it is broken down into intermediate metabolic products - metabolites. At the same time, some of them are characterized by an increased level of toxicity, due to which drugs of this group should not be used by people with diseased kidneys or liver.
Remember that the remedy we are considering does not eliminate the disease, but only drowns out the main symptoms, therefore, with the development of pain in the joints and muscles, as well as with the appearance of pain resulting from injuries and bruises, you should not take "Paracetamol "".
Analogues, its synonyms most often have a similar effect on the body. For example, the main component in"Paracetamol MS", as in the usual form of the drug, is para-acetaminophenol. In most cases, the only difference between analogues is the concentration of the active substance and additional ingredients that give the drugs unique characteristics. Thanks to the release in various dosage forms, if necessary, you can get a therapeutic effect as soon as possible. It will be enough just to replace the usual Paracetamol tablets with an analogue of the drug in the form of a syrup, suspension or suppository.
Effect on the body
Often, an analogue of "Paracetamol" affects the body much faster than the original. At the same time, due to the fact that the drugs in most cases have the same therapeutic effect, their indications and contraindications are very similar.
Like Paracetamol itself, it is recommended to use analogues for fever caused by a prolonged increase in body temperature during a severe cold, flu, SARS and acute respiratory infections, as well as during toothache, headache, muscle pain. In pediatrics, the drug, in addition to its main purpose, can be used to relieve pain in the gums during teething in babies.
Crushed Paracetamol tablets are often used as an effective remedy for acne. To do this, it should be moistened with a small amount of water and applied to the problem area for 5-10 minutes. In addition, in cases where the drug cannot be taken orally in the usual way, for example, immediately after surgery, when it is required to removepain and inflammation, "Paracetamol" can be injected into the body intravenously.
Peculiarities of taking paracetamol-containing drugs
The main thing to remember is that Paracetamol is not an antibiotic. It is designed to alleviate the negative manifestations of diseases, and not to eliminate their root cause. In this case, regardless of the symptoms, the duration of treatment should not exceed a week.
Give analogues of "Paracetamol" (for children there are quite a lot of funds) for babies, starting from the age of three months. However, remember that before giving a child any paracetamol-containing drug, it is imperative not only to read the instructions, but also to consult a pediatrician.
In order not to interfere with the antipyretic and analgesic effect, the medicine and its substitutes should be taken only after meals, drinking plenty of water.
Be sure to keep in mind that if you have liver or kidney disease, at least 8 hours must have passed since the last medication. This is the only way you can take Paracetamol and its analogues without harm to the kidneys.
Instructions for use
Pills are prescribed for children from two years old only in special cases. At the same time, their intake should take place under strict medical supervision.
- For children under 12, the daily dose of the drug is 60 mg/kg.
- For patients aged 12 years and over who weigh more than 40 kg, the daily allowance should notexceed 500 mg. The drug must be taken at the rate of no more than three tablets every 4 hours. The daily rate when taking analogues of "Paracetamol", made in the form of tablets, can be increased to 1 g at a time only as a last resort, but before you increase the dosage, you should definitely consult your doctor.
"Paracetamol" in candles
Temperature decrease after using suppositories is observed much faster than after taking pills. However, you should consider that they should not be used for more than three days in case of fever and 5 days during the elimination of pain symptoms.
Dosage:
- Babies from 5 months to a year - 0.5 candles.
- Patients 1-3 years old - 1.5 suppositories.
- Children 3-5 years old - 2 candles.
- Patients 5-10 years old - no more than 3.5 suppositories.
- Children aged 10-12 - up to 5 suppositories.
"Paracetamol" in the form of syrup and suspension
For the treatment of colds in one-year-old children, doctors most often use the liquid form of the drug "Paracetamol" (syrup). Analogues of the drug, for example, Paramosha, are no less popular, since they do not contain sugar and can be used to treat colds and flu in infants aged three months and older. However, you should take into account that whatever paracetamol-based syrup you choose to treat your child, you should definitely consult a pediatrician before giving it to your baby.
Single dosage for children:
- From three months to a year- 1 teaspoon.
- From one year to 6 years - no more than two spoons.
- From 6 to 14 years old - 4 spoons.
At the same time, keep in mind that if the above dosages do not give the expected effect, you should, after consulting with your doctor, choose an analogue of Paracetamol with a different amount of active ingredient and a number of auxiliary components.
Use the drug one to four times a day. At the same time, it is necessary to maintain a gap of at least 3-4 hours between doses. As for the suspension, it is dosed according to the same principle.
"Paracetamol": instructions for use, analogues
In the table below, you can get acquainted with the most common paracetamol-containing drugs and choose the most suitable option in terms of composition and price.
| Name | Approximate cost in rubles | |
| "Citramon - BORIMED" | 1, 7–3 | |
| "Citramon P" | ||
| Ibuklin | ||
| Stopgripan and Stopgripan forte | 18–30 | |
| Novalgin | ||
| "Rinza" | 42–80 | |
| Flurex | ||
| Rinicold | ||
| "Cefekon D" | ||
| Panadol | ||
| Efferalgan | ||
| Maxicold | ||
| Alka-Seltzer | 100–180 | |
| Baby Panadol | ||
| Coldrex | ||
| Grippeks | 134–150 | |
| Fervex for kids | ||
| No-Shpalgin | ||
| "Grippoflu" | 176–200 | |
| "Solpadein" | ||
| Theraflu | ||
| "Antigrippin" | 270–300 | |
Despite the variety of listed drugs, the active substance is the same for everyone - paracetamol.
Analogue (cheaper than the domestic "Paracetamol" is difficult to find a remedy, but there are many more expensive medicines now) will have an almost identical effect, so you should not overpay for a medicine similar in composition. In addition, keep in mind that identical drugs can differ significantly in cost in different pharmacies - this directly depends on the pricing policy of points of sale, the manufacturing company, and the region.
Interaction with other drugs
It's no secret that complex treatment allows you to achieve faster results. That is why most doctors recommend combining or alternating Paracetamol with other drugs.
Drugs that are most often combined with Paracetamol:
- "Caffeine". The substance obtained by combining these drugs has a double strength and has a powerful effect on the body. It is this compound that is most effective for use against headaches in people with low blood pressure. For those who do not want to take two types of pills at once, there is the drug Panadol Extra, which containswhich these substances are basic.
- "No-shpa". The resulting compound works well for both headaches and fevers, which is why it is often given to young children.
- "Analgin". The resulting compound cannot be combined with other anti-inflammatory drugs. Analgin has a similar mechanism of action on the body as paracetamol, however, it has many contraindications, causing irritation of the gastric mucosa in most people.
- "Ibufen" or "Nurofen". The compound quickly reduces fever and has a powerful analgesic effect.
- "Suprastin". Tandem, most often used to relieve symptoms of fever in people prone to allergic reactions. In addition, "Paracetamol" and "Suprastin" are prescribed during the period of post-vaccination, if the body temperature after vaccination began to rise.
Using paracetamol-containing products during pregnancy
The instructions for the drug say that it is able to cross the placenta. Moreover, the larger the fetus becomes, the higher the risk that the drug will have a negative effect on it. So, for example, the use of some analogues of "Paracetamol" or the drug itself in the last months of pregnancy increases the likelihood of having a baby with asthma, respiratory disorders or various allergic reactions.
In addition, at this stage, taking paracetamol-based products can cause the development of malformations of the internal organs in the fetus or even provokemiscarriage. That is why you should approach the treatment with these drugs with the utmost care, using them only in emergency situations and strictly under medical supervision.
Paracetamol for children
The most popular Paracetamol analogues for children:
- Syrup Paramosha.
- Akamol-Teva.
- "Panadol" (children).
- Tylenol (Children's).
- "Acetophen".
- Panadol Junior.
- "Paracetamol MS".
- "Prohodol" (for children).
- "Efferalgan" (for children).
Doctors recommend alternating children's analogues of the drug. At the same time, the question of which dosage forms of the drug will be prescribed is decided individually, depending on how the child feels. Please note that without consulting a doctor, the duration of treatment with paracetamol-containing drugs should not exceed five days. "Paracetamol" for children, the analogues of which are listed above, has a lower level of active substance content, due to which some forms of medication can be used to treat colds and flu in children over the age of three.
If a child has negative reactions during treatment with the mentioned drugs, you should immediately call an ambulance. If the doctor, after examination, establishes that these signs were really provoked by an overdose of paracetamol, the child is immediately given an enterosorbent,which significantly reduces the percentage of absorption of the active substance into the blood, and in emergency cases, they begin to wash the stomach, after which an antidote is injected into the body.
Contraindications
Paracetamol should not be used in the following cases:
- for kidney and liver diseases;
- high blood alcohol levels;
- if you are allergic to the drug;
- in the last months of pregnancy.
Before you start using an analogue of Paracetamol or the drug itself, be sure to read the instructions and consult your doctor. Only in this way can you protect yourself from negative reactions and get the maximum benefit from the medicine and the desired effect. Stay he althy!
