Flupirtine maleate is a medicinal substance that has analgesic properties and is part of a number of drugs from the category of non-opioid pharmacological agents. It has an analgesic systemic effect, which occurs due to the selective activation of neutral channels of potassium origin. In addition, flupirtine has an unexpressed muscle relaxant and neurotropic effect. The most common drugs are Katadolon, the eponymous Flupirtine and Nolodatak. Instructions for using the latter will be presented below.
This is a non-opioid centrally acting analgesic. Flupirtine (active ingredient of the drug) is a representative of the class of selective activators of neuronal potassium channels. Does not cause addiction and addiction, has a muscle relaxant effect.
The antispastic effect on muscles is associated with blocking the transmission of excitation to motor neurons and intercalaryneurons that release muscle tension. This effect of Nolodataku is manifested in many chronic diseases accompanied by painful muscle spasms (musculoskeletal pain in the neck and back, arthropathy, tension headaches, fibromyalgia).
Instructions for use for "Nolodatak" confirms this.
Composition
The most popular form of flupirtine maleate is oral tablets. One tablet contains 100 mg. active component. Auxiliary components in preparations based on flupirtine, as a rule, are magnesium stearate, gelatin, purified water, copovidone, calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate, colloidal silicon dioxide, etc.
Properties
Flupirtine maleate has an analgesic effect and is included in the group of non-opioid painkillers. The substance acts centrally. Flupirtine is a selective neutral potassium channel activator. When taking drugs based on this pharmacological substance, they do not interact with cholinergic receptors and adrenoreceptors.
According to the instructions for use for flupirtine maleate, these properties allow it to have a pronounced analgesic effect. Against the background of the selective opening of neutral potassium channels with the simultaneous release of potassium ions, the rest of the neuron is normalized. The latter ceases to be excessively painful and excitable. Thus, it is possible to achieve rapid relief of painsyndrome, expressed in mild or moderate severity. Flupirtine also has muscle relaxant properties, that is, it has a sedative effect.
Indications
Flupirtine maleate and drugs based on it are prescribed to eliminate the pain syndrome provoked by various factors, including:
- Irregular menstruation with pain in the lower abdomen.
- Pain of neuropathic type following an injury.
- Muscle spasms and also fibromyalgia.
- Pain in the head due to overexertion.
- Oncological diseases, manifested by pain syndrome.
- Rehabilitation period after surgery.
Contraindications
The centrally acting analgesic flupirtine is contraindicated in patients with the following comorbid conditions and pathologies:
- Pathological processes in the liver.
- Children under the age of 18.
- Alcoholism in a chronic form.
- Patients with a history of predisposition to renal encephalopathy.
- Against the background of simultaneous use with drugs that have a hepatotoxic effect.
- Performed tinnitus therapy.
- Individual reaction to flupirtine or a component that is part of preparations based on this active substance.
When prescribing drugs with flupirtine to elderly patients, increased precautions are required, andas well as adjusting dosages. In view of its sedative properties, against the background of flupirtine therapy, it is not recommended to drive vehicles, as well as to carry out work that requires increased concentration and accuracy of performance.
No teratogenic effect on flupirtine has been identified, however, it is not officially recommended for use by women during childbearing. This is also due to the lack of clinical data on the safety of flupirtine in various preparations for the fetus.
If a woman is prescribed flupirtine during the lactation period, she is recommended to stop breastfeeding for the duration of treatment. This is due to the fact that during the research of the substance, its property was established to penetrate in small quantities into breast milk.
Instructions
Flupirtine in tablet form intended for oral administration. Capsules are not chewed and washed down with a small amount of water. Since flupirtine-based painkillers are often prescribed to patients in serious condition, opening the capsule and introducing the substance through a tube is allowed. In this case, the bitter taste of the drug should be taken into account, so it can be neutralized by eating sweet fruits, such as a banana. Almost all drugs based on flupirtine are taken according to the same scheme, which is due to the same concentration of the substance in tablets, equal to 100 mg. The following recommendations are followed:
- Standard dosage of flupirtine maleateinvolves taking 300-400 mg per day, divided into 3-4 times. If the pain syndrome is pronounced, the dosage of the drug can be doubled. The maximum daily dosage of flupirtine should not exceed 600 mg.
- The dosing regimen is selected individually, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient and the severity of the pain syndrome. The duration of treatment with flupirtine should not be longer than two weeks. This selects the minimum therapeutic dosage that has a pronounced effect.
- In the elderly, at the initial stage of treatment, a minimum dosage of 100 mg of flupirtine is prescribed in the morning and evening.
Against the background of kidney failure, it is necessary to regularly monitor the level of creatinine in the blood plasma. The maximum daily dosage for patients with this diagnosis will be 300 mg of flupirtine. If renal insufficiency is of mild or moderate severity, adjustment of the dosing regimen is not required. With hypoalbuminemia, the appointment follows the same pattern as against the background of kidney failure.
Prescribing the drug in dosages exceeding standard treatment regimens will require careful medical supervision, and in some cases hospitalization of the patient.
Are there any side effects of flupirtine maleate?
Side effects
Against the background of taking flupirtine, the following adverse reactions may develop:
- Skin - hyperhidrosis.
- Nervous system - sleep disturbance, depression,dizziness, headache, restlessness and nervousness, confusion.
- Liver and biliary tract - liver failure, elevated liver transaminases, hepatitis.
- Vision is a visual impairment.
- Stomach and intestines - flatulence, pain in the stomach, dyspeptic disorders, constipation, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, dryness of the oral mucosa.
- Immune system - hypersensitivity to flupirtine, expressed in an allergic reaction in the form of rash, itching, urticaria and fever.
- Others - loss of appetite up to its complete loss, fatigue and weakness, especially pronounced at the beginning of flupirtine therapy.
Adverse reactions to flupirtine indicate, as a rule, an incorrectly chosen dosage and require its adjustment. An exception is an allergy to the active substance, which involves the abolition of the drug and the selection of an analogue. All other symptoms go away on their own after treatment.
Overdose symptoms
Against the background of a strong overdose of flupirtine, the following overdose symptoms may occur:
- Tachycardia.
- Confusion.
- Nausea.
- Dry mucous membranes.
Overdose is treated by gastric lavage and subsequent intake of enterosorbents. Further symptomatic treatment is carried out.
Analogues
There are a number of drugs that contain similartherapeutic effect of the substance. The most common are the following analogs of flupirtine maleate:
- "Dexalgin".
- "Dimexide".
- Ketanov.
- Bupranal.
- Promedol.
- Lidocaine.
- Metindol.
Before replacing one drug with another, you should consult your doctor, since when prescribing flupirtine, he relied on the patient's condition and his individual characteristics. An analogue may have a different active component and, accordingly, assume a different reception scheme.
Reviews
Reviews on taking flupirtine maleate in various preparations are extremely positive. For many, it helps to cope even with the pain syndrome of increased intensity. Flupirtine-based drugs are often prescribed to cancer patients when other drugs have failed.
Flupirtine maleate can be used as a single drug, as well as in combination with opioid and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It is also allowed to take flupirtine simultaneously with antidepressants.
In the reviews, there are complaints from patients taking flupirtine about the appearance of nausea and weakness at the beginning of the therapeutic course. However, the same patients emphasize that after a few days, such unpleasant symptoms disappear on their own. Specialists often use flupirtine in patients with severe pain.
