- January 21, 2020
- Gastroenterology
- Evgenia Yushkova
Problems in the digestive system bring a lot of negative emotions. Pain, heartburn, and spasms can ruin both successful work and a fun holiday. To provide first aid to a rebellious stomach, doctors use a whole range of medications - antacids. Their active action occurs directly in the stomach, they are able to quickly eliminate discomfort. One of the most common representatives of this group is Maalox.
Release form and composition
Maalox is available in the form:
- Chewable tablets with and without sugar.
- Suspensions for oral administration.
- Dosed suspension for oral administration.
The photo shows the drug Maalox
Chewable tablets are white, round, flat-cylindrical in shape. The suspension is white, reminiscent of milk, and has a mint smell. Tablets are sold in packs of 10, 20, 40 pieces. The suspension is packaged in dark bottles or bottled in 15 ml bags.
Tablets contain 400 mg of magnesium hydrochloride, 400 mg of algeldrate. Excipients in tablets with sugar: starch with confectionery sugar, sobritol, magic stearate. Sugar-free tablets contain liquid sorbitol, mannitol, flavoring, sodium saccharinate, glycerol, talc.
The oral suspension contains magnesium hydroxide in the form of a gel - 4 g, aluminum hydroxide in the form of a gel - 3.5 g. The excipients are hydrochloric acid, peppermint, mannitol and others. The dosed suspension contains magnesium hydroxide – 600 mg, aluminum hydroxide – 525 g. Excipients are the same as in the previous form.
Analogs
There are drugs on the pharmaceutical market that are similar in composition or principle of action. Complete analogues of the drug are considered to be such products as: Gastal, Rennie, Inalan tablets, Phosphalugel gel and Gastroromazole suspension. Similar in principle:
- Almagel;
- Palmagel;
- Gestid;
- Coalgel;
- Altacid;
- Almol;
- Rivolox;
- Ajiflux;
- Alumag;
- Gastracid.
Mechanism of action
Maalox acts on free hydrochloric acid in the digestive organs. This leads to the appearance of minimal activity of the general activity of gastric juice.
The drug covers the mucous membrane with a protective film, which allows the organs to recover faster. All this significantly reduces the impact of any damaging effects on the mucous membrane.
Magnesium hydroxide also reacts with hydrochloric acid. This interaction produces neutral magnesium chloride. It balances the effects of aluminum hydroxide, which causes constipation. Hydroxide coats the mucous membrane and has a local effect, protecting against the formation of gases.
Prevention
Poisoning can be avoided by following preventive measures. Chemicals and medicines are stored in places inaccessible to children and pets, hygiene is maintained and attention is paid to nutrition.
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Maalox for food poisoning helps to quickly get rid of unpleasant symptoms in the stomach and intestines. The drug cleanses of toxic compounds, protects the mucous membranes of organs from irritation, and normalizes the amount of hydrochloric acid. The medicine is used according to the instructions after providing first aid; before treatment, it is recommended to contact a medical facility.
Dosage for adults and children
It differs depending on the form in which it is prescribed.
Pills
It is recommended to hit 1-2 elements up to 4 times a day. The treatment period is up to 3 months. If a single episode of pain or discomfort occurs, 1-2 tablets are prescribed once. This dosage is suitable for adults and children over 15 years of age.
Suspension in bags
For children, the dosage is determined by the attending physician depending on age. The maximum daily intake is 90 ml. The course of therapy is up to 3 months. One sachet contains 15 mg of the drug.
Suspension in bottles
Use 15 mg (1 tbsp) 4 times a day. The course of treatment is the same as in previous cases. Episodic dosage is 15 ml of the drug.
Maalox mini
The drug is prescribed to children over 15 years of age. You cannot take more than 12 mini-packages per day. The duration of treatment is 3 months, the number of recommended packages at a time is 1-2.
Contraindications
Before using the tablets, it is recommended to study the instructions for the drug in detail, since Maalox has a number of the following contraindications:
- Increased individual sensitivity to the components of the drug;
- Chronic renal failure;
- Children under 12 years of age due to lack of clinical trials;
- Pregnancy period in the 1st trimester;
- Alzheimer's disease;
- Hypophosphatemia.
This drug should be used with caution in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy and among nursing mothers.
Instructions for use
For heartburn
The tablets are taken in the classic dosage.
Take 1-2 units between meals. The tablets are easy to chew or dissolve. The suspension is taken 1 tablespoon or packet. Don't forget to shake the package before use.
For gastritis
Maalox is taken a few hours after meals and before bed. Shake the bottle well before taking 15 ml of suspension. The course of treatment does not exceed 3 months.
If an acute form of the disease is detected, then medication is prescribed 30 minutes before meals and after the onset of discomfort. The pharmacological form does not affect the clinical effect.
Pancreatitis
When treating the pancreas, you need to take Maalox for 2-3 months. The dosage is 15 minutes. An hour after eating and before bedtime. For therapy, you should take 4 sachets for three meals a day.
In some situations it is not allowed to exceed the dosage. If you are being treated with tablets, wait until they dissolve in the mouth.
For nausea
You can drink Maalox immediately if an unpleasant sensation occurs. If nausea reappears after a while, repeat the dose. The drug should be taken in the same way as when treating other diseases.
In case of poisoning
Maalox removes toxins, so it also helps with poisoning. You should take the medicine in a form acceptable to you immediately after the first symptoms appear. If there is no improvement, repeat the procedure after 2 hours.
For diarrhea
The active substance itself can cause constipation. Therefore, it is used during the entire period of treatment of diarrhea in combination with other medications. The rules of administration are the same as for the treatment of gastritis.
"Maalox": indications
The drug is prescribed in cases of disruption of the gastrointestinal system. Its symptoms include a burning sensation, heaviness, discomfort in the epigastric region, and the appearance of belching. Clear instructions about the direction of the therapeutic effect are contained in the instructions for use of Maalox: what it helps with, what symptoms it helps eliminate, what ailments it is used to treat. Recommendations for use include:
- gastric and duodenal ulcers in the acute phase;
- gastroduodenitis;
- chronic gastritis in the acute stage;
- hiatal hernia;
- gastrointestinal dyspepsia (heartburn, pain, heaviness) due to ingestion of poor-quality food that irritates the stomach, alcohol or smoking;
- gastritis with high acid content;
- reflux esophagitis.
Signs of problems in the functioning of the organs of the digestive system do not always appear so clearly that one can judge the presence of a particular disease. Therefore, if alarming symptoms occur, there is a reason to consult a gastroenterologist.
The attending physician, after conducting an examination, collecting and analyzing the necessary laboratory tests, and determining the picture of the disease, prescribes therapeutic doses of the drug. It determines the form of the drug, dosage and regimen.
When it comes to treating gastritis, therapy is not limited to just taking antacids. Its treatment requires the use of a whole range of drugs, including prokinetics, proton pump inhibitors, and in some cases, antibiotics.
In accordance with the instructions for use of Maalox, it is able to relieve heartburn in a short period of time. The effect occurs especially quickly after using the suspension. As practice shows, relief occurs after swallowing 1 sachet or 1 scoop of medicinal mass. If after 20 minutes the effect is not observed, the reception should be repeated. But without consulting a specialist, it is unsafe to be treated with the drug for more than 3 days.
During pregnancy and lactation
Studies have proven that the drug does not have a teratogenic effect. In the early stages of pregnancy, treatment should not exceed 3 days with a break of 7 days.
Small doses are often prescribed, up to 3 sachets or tablespoons per day. If the situation requires more thorough treatment, the doctor prescribes the drug according to the instructions, but even in this case the treatment period should be short-term.
Breastfeeding is not included in the list of contraindications. Therefore, you can continue to feed your baby during treatment.
Overdose
Excessive consumption of Maalox may cause the following symptoms:
- stomach ache;
- lack of phosphorus;
- belching;
- encephalopathy;
- anemia;
- narrowing of the esophagus;
- gagging;
- loose stool.
To stabilize a person’s condition, diuretics are prescribed and it is recommended to drink more fluids to remove excess magnesium and aluminum from the tissues. For renal pathology, dialysis or hemodialysis is performed.
Interaction with other drugs and alcohol
When taken with antibiotics, the absorption of ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, and indomethacin is reduced. Acetylsalicylic acid, beta-blockers, chlorpromazine and phosphorus-containing drugs are less absorbed.
When using Maalox as a prophylactic agent to prevent the development of a drug ulcer, an interval of 2-3 hours is maintained. Otherwise, the effectiveness of other medications will be reduced.
Information about the interaction of the drug with alcohol has not been studied, but it is often prescribed for abuse of alcohol-containing drinks to protect the stomach.
Adverse reactions
In case of uncontrolled use of the drug, side effects may occur. They can be caused by an excessive amount of the drug taken or by the body’s individual reaction to its components. They can be expressed:
- the appearance of vomiting, diarrhea, constipation;
- decrease in pressure;
- distortion of reflexes;
- bradycardia;
- neuromuscular paralysis.
According to the instructions for the use of Maalox by adult patients, such symptoms may appear in the event of prolonged uncontrolled use of significant doses of the drug. In this case, it is recommended to use sorbents (activated carbon, Polysorb, Smecta, Atoxil) and plenty of water consumption to help the kidneys remove salts from the body. In case of severe poisoning, you should stop taking the drug and immediately seek medical help.
In patients with impaired renal function, the content of aluminum and magnesium in the blood increases. In this regard, the use of the drug by patients in this category is limited.
Treatment with Maalox is recommended to be combined with taking vitamin preparations containing phosphorus. It will be useful to supplement your diet with foods rich in this chemical element: nuts, fresh fish, processed cheeses.
The use of Maalox during pregnancy can be justified only if the need to alleviate the mother's condition is higher than the possible effect of the drug on the fetus. Instructions for the use of Maalox in suspension or tablets note that currently in clinical practice there are no cases of the development of defects in children. However, this does not mean that expectant mothers can take the drug for an unlimited time and in any quantity, since such a risk cannot be completely eliminated. In addition, significant portions of active substances can provoke the appearance of hypermagnesemia in a baby. The use of Maalox during breastfeeding is possible only after consultation with a specialist.
Reviews
Reviews about Maalox are contradictory. Some users write that the suspension gives longer lasting results.
When taking pills, heartburn quickly returns, especially if you are in a horizontal position. Some users write that the pain goes away, but constipation appears. Because of this, it is necessary to reduce the dosage to the minimum level.
Among the positive aspects, it is noted that the suspension begins to act within 15 minutes. At the same time, there is no addictive effect, so after a while you don’t have to look for a replacement. A positive effect was achieved in the treatment of heartburn and GERD.
Cost in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Krasnodar
Suspension
The cost of the suspension in 250 ml bottles varies from 330 to 250 rubles.
Pills
Price for 20 pcs. sugar-free tablets are lower than the chewable form. In the first case, the figure is from 210 rubles, and in the second – 270.
Mini
The cost of 6 bags is a little more than 100 rubles. One package contains 4.3 ml of suspension.
Plus
The cost of the cherry mint flavored suspension is slightly higher than usual. On average, the price starts from 260 rubles.
