Some people prefer to fight the symptoms of ARVI, rhinitis and colds using traditional methods. However, this is not always possible and safe, so most patients relieve sinus congestion with drops. One of the drugs that quickly helps narrow blood vessels and make breathing easier is Vicks Active Sinex. Let's take a closer look at when it is best to use this medication, and whether there are any restrictions.
- Composition and release form
- Indications and contraindications
- Analogs
- Dosage and rules of use
- Precautionary measures
- Overdose
- Possible side effects
- Drug interactions
- Rules and dosage
- When is the appointment indicated?
Pharmacological authorities
Pharmacodynamics.
Oxymetazoline is a direct-acting sympathomimetic amine. It acts on the α-adrenergic receptors of the blood vessels of the nasal mucosa, causing the sound of the vessels and the swelling of the mucous membrane. Oxymetazoline relieves congestion at the site of congestion, and reduces the swelling of the nasal mucosa and upper respiratory tract. Reduced nasal mucosa leads to renewed aeration of the paranasal sinuses, emptying of the middle ear, which prevents the development of bacterial complications.
Oxymetazoline has antiviral, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and antioxidant effects. Finally, this combined mechanism of action was made more effective in reducing the swelling of the nasal mucosa caused by acute rhinitis. The shelf life of this drug is up to 12 years.
Pharmacokinetics.
For local nasal congestion, therapeutic concentrations do not irritate the nasal mucosa and do not cause hyperemia. The drug administration period is approximately 35 years after the drug has been infused. 2.1% of the drug is excreted in alcohol, approximately 1.1% is excreted in feces.
Features of use in adults
The use of Vicks in the nose has its own characteristics depending on the form of the drug, the age of the patient, as well as the individual characteristics of his body.
Dosage and rules of use
One dose contains about 25 mcg of oxymetazoline. Adult patients and children over 10 years old are allowed 1-2 single injections into the nostril 2-3 times a day.
The drug is not recommended for use for more than a week. Dosages higher than permitted limits can only be used under the strict supervision of a specialist. The secondary therapeutic course is prescribed only three days after the end of the first course.
Spray for a runny nose is administered intranasally. Before injecting the sympathomimetic, you should spray it into the air several times to ensure dosage accuracy. Before administering the liquid, the nasal passages are thoroughly cleared of mucus by blowing the nose or rinsing with saline.
To avoid re-infection, one bottle of nasal drops should be used by one person. If several household members in an apartment are sick with a runny nose at the same time, then you need to purchase a separate bottle for each.
Precautionary measures
Patients should avoid prolonged use and not exceed the dosage recommended by the manufacturers. Uncontrolled use of nasal drops can lead to a weakening of its effect and addiction.
Features of atrophic rhinitis
In addition, it is possible to develop such ailments as atrophic and medicinal rhinitis, complicated by reactive hyperemia. If within 3 days of active use the symptoms of rhinitis do not disappear, and the patient’s well-being does not improve, but, on the contrary, the signs of the disease increase, you should immediately consult a specialist.
Benzalkonium chloride in drops can cause swelling of the mucous membrane, especially with excessive use. If there is a suspicion of a negative reaction (the patient has chronic nasal congestion), you need to use a natural remedy that does not contain preservatives and completely stop using Vicks Active.
Important! During pregnancy, the use of a vasoconstrictor drug is prohibited.
Despite the fact that rhinorrhea (swelling of the vessels of the mucous membrane) leads to oxygen starvation and can negatively affect the intrauterine development of the fetus, which can lead to delayed mental and physical development, oxymetazoline is absorbed into the bloodstream and penetrates the placenta.
The vasoconstrictor effect of medicinal products is also detrimental to the baby’s immature body. Therefore, an expectant mother who is faced with sinusitis or another pathology that causes nasal congestion should not self-prescribe this drug. Only a doctor will be able to assess all the risks and indications, calculate the optimal dosage and determine a safe course of treatment.
There is no data on the absorption of active components into breast milk, so the drug should not be used during lactation. If there are no other, safer means at hand, to relieve symptoms, you can instill drops after feeding the child, and then transfer the child to artificial feeding for 2-3 days, expressing milk to maintain lactation.
Long-term use of the spray in doses significantly higher than recommended can cause negative effects on the nervous system. In such cases, reaction speed and attentiveness may noticeably deteriorate (which must be taken into account when driving vehicles and working with machinery).
Overdose
After using drops in a large dose or if the drug is accidentally swallowed, the following symptoms may occur:
- sensation preceding vomiting
gagging,- cyanosis/paleness of the face and limbs,
- increase in body temperature,
- cardiac palpitation,
- heartbeat stops,
- hyperhidrosis,
- nervous excitement,
- convulsive attack,
- a sharp rise in blood pressure,
- pulmonary edema,
- breathing disorder,
- impaired sense of smell.
In addition, you may experience:
- drowsiness,
- lethargy,
- decrease in body temperature,
- drop in blood pressure,
- apnea,
- falling into a coma.
In case of overdose, symptomatic treatment is carried out:
- taking adsorbents, gastric lavage,
- when blood pressure drops, use Phentolamine,
- For seizures, anticonvulsant therapy is used.
Possible side effects
Each body is individual, and can react in the most unexpected way to a particular drug. Vicks Active spray is often well tolerated by patients if the dosage is followed. A negative reaction to the drug occurs in people with individual intolerance to the active ingredients. Then he suffers:
immune system, allergies may occur, including rash, burning, itching, redness, angioedema,- respiratory system: itching sensation, discomfort in the nasal cavity, drying of the mucous membrane, sneezing, sore throat, nosebleeds, increased amount of mucous discharge,
- organs of vision: redness, eye irritation,
- nervous system: cephalalgia, sleep disturbance, agitation, causeless anxiety, lethargy, loss of strength, convulsions, increased fatigue, tremors of the limbs,
- cardiovascular system: arrhythmia, tachycardia, blood pressure surges,
- general disorders: headache, rash, hallucinations.
Drug interactions
Vicks spray should not be used when taking the following medications:
- monoamine oxidase inhibitors,
- tricyclic antidepressants,
- drugs based on bromocriptine,
- other drugs with a vasoconstrictor effect, which can cause an overdose.
MAO inhibitors
You should refrain from taking Vicks for 2 weeks after completing a treatment course of monoamine oxidase inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants, otherwise you may cause a sharp increase in blood pressure. When taking bromocriptine and Vicks drops together, cardiovascular disorders may develop.
Contraindicated
- Hypersensitivity to any other word or to any other word of the drug;
- atrophic rhinitis;
- dry rhinitis
- burning or damage to the mucous membrane of the nose or the skin near the nostrils;
- concomitant administration of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO) and a two-stage course after administration of treatment with MAO inhibitors, as well as administration of other drugs that relieve arterial pressure;
- movement of the internal eye pressure, especially closed-cuta glaucoma;
- severe forms of cardiovascular disease (for example, ischemic heart disease, arterial hypertension);
- cardiac asthma;
- pheochromocytoma;
- metabolic disorders (hyperthyroidism, diabetes, porphyria);
- patients after transsphenoidal hypophysectomy or other surgical procedures that remove the dura mater;
- complicated secretion with increased anterior prostate gland (prostatic hypertrophy).
How to use it correctly
It would seem that there are no tricks to putting drops into your nose. Everyone knows how to do this from early childhood. But Vicks Active is not a drop, but a spray. The bottle of medicine is equipped with a special spray cap, which additionally serves as a dispenser.
Before the procedure, be sure to clear the nose of exudate and dried crusts. Then the patient sits down, holds his head straight, he or his assistant slightly raises the tip of the nose, brings the lid to it, and injects into one nasal passage.
Many people skip the next step, although it is this step that ensures the most even distribution of the medicine throughout the mucous membrane. After injection, you need to lightly press the wing of the nose and massage it a little in a circular motion. Only after this can you start burying the second nostril.
Important: for instillation, you should not lie on your back to prevent the drug from getting into the throat.
Interactions with other medicinal drugs and other types of interactions
Do not use MAO inhibitors or other drugs for hypertension due to the risk of increasing arterial pressure.
The significant use of other vascular and vascular drugs increases the risk of developing side effects.
It appears that this drug interacts with tricyclic antidepressants, which may result in the development of arterial hypertension and arrhythmias in patients with advanced symptoms.
Use caution when administering the drug to patients who are taking bromocriptine, as there is a possibility of developing disorders in the side of the cardiovascular system.
You can reduce the infusion of ß-blockers or other antihypertensive drugs, such as methyldopa, betanidine, debrisoquine and guanethidine.
special instructions
Like any pharmaceutical drug, the spray has a certain shelf life, after which it loses its effectiveness or becomes completely harmful. A bottle sealed at the factory retains the beneficial properties of the active substances for 3 years.
The manufacturer warns against getting the drug into your eyes, and if this happens, suggests rinsing with running water.
And lastly, the bottle is equipped with an individual nozzle. This means that it is intended to treat one person. This is the only way to prevent the spread of infection.
Features of good stagnation
Traces of avoidance of prolonged use and overdose of the drug. Sustaining the anti-nasal solution for the nose can lead to a weakening of this drug. This disease can especially cause atrophic rhinitis, atrophy of the mucous membrane and reactive hyperemia with medicinal rhinitis (reversal effect).
After administration of the drug, special care is required for patients with chronic rhinitis. Doses higher than those recommended can only be taken under the supervision of a doctor.
If symptoms worsen or worsen daily for 3 days, you must consult a doctor.
Benzalkonium chloride, which is added to the drug, can cause swelling of the nasal mucosa, especially in the case of long-term nasal congestion. If there is a suspicion of such a reaction (permanent nasal congestion), it is necessary to stop the drug so as not to remove preservatives. If it is not possible to stagnate the medicinal product without preservatives, consider the possibility of stagnating another medicinal form.
How is Vicks Active with aloe superior to its analogues?
The vasoconstrictor, created by the German company Procter and Gamble, unlike many other nasal drops, fights cold symptoms throughout the day. The manufacturer claims that one injection of the medicine into the nasal passages relieves congestion and blocks the secretion of exudate for 12 hours. Relief of the condition becomes noticeable 5 minutes after use.
Buyers, who have once tested the effectiveness of the spray, purchase Vicks Active again when they have another cold. Their motives are simple and clear: guaranteed and quick results at an affordable, although not the lowest, price. However, from an economic point of view, using German drops is more profitable than their cheaper counterparts.
To make sure, just arm yourself with a calculator and make the calculations. It is necessary to divide the price of the product into almost 300 injections. Thanks to the ultra-fine atomization of the substance, one 15-ml bottle is designed for precisely this number of injections (company data from the public domain). It is not difficult to calculate that the cost of 12 hours without a runny nose is extremely small.
Overdose
After a significant overdose or a seizure, the following symptoms may occur internally:
mydriasis, fatigue, vomiting, cyanosis, elevated temperature, spasms, tachycardia, bradycardia, palpitation, arrhythmia, cardiac vascular insufficiency, cardiac prolapse, hypersweating, agitation, vascular disease , arterial hypertension, swelling of the leg, respiratory disorders, pallor, miosis, hyposmia , mental disorders, shock hypotension. Stimulation of the central nervous system is manifested by: anxiety, restlessness, hallucinations, and seizures. In addition, there may be a suppression of the function of the central nervous system, which is manifested by drowsiness, diarrhea, low body temperature, bradycardia, arterial hypotension, and possibly the development of coma.
In children, overdose often leads to dominant effects of the central nervous system with seizures and coma, bradycardia, apnea, as well as arterial hypertension, which may result from hypotension.
Likuvannya:
washing the shluk, taking activated vugill, ventilation of the leg. If arterial pressure is reduced, use phentolamine. Vasopressors should not be taken. If necessary, anti-domestic therapy is indicated, ventilation of the leg is indicated to relieve fever. Non-selective alpha blockers can be used as an antidote.
Use of the spray in children
Doctors often prescribe nasal drops for children to treat colds, but Vicks is not one of the most commonly used.
The spray is not absolutely safe and is only allowed for use by children over 6 years of age.
Rules and dosage
Before using the drug, children, as well as adults, must rinse the nasal cavity.
Special sprays will help facilitate this process in a child:
- Aqua Maris is a topical anti-inflammatory, cleansing and moisturizing agent for the nasal cavity.
- Physiomer is a product based on purified sea water. Improves the function of the ciliated epithelium, enhances the resistance of the mucosa to pathogenic microbes and viral infections.
- Dolphin is a combined agent that provides mechanical removal of pathogenic agents from the nasal cavity.
- No-salt is a saline solution that cleanses and moisturizes the nasal mucosa.
Characteristics of Aqua Marisa
The drug is then used as follows:
- for children under ten years of age, the drug is injected into each nostril once twice a day,
- for children over ten years of age, if necessary, double spraying into each nostril is possible; the number of such procedures can be increased to three during the day.
Treatment with drops is allowed for no longer than a week, as there is a high probability of overdose and adverse reactions. When injecting this sympathomimetic, you should not throw your head back.
When is the appointment indicated?
Vicks drops do an excellent job with such ailments as:
- sinusitis in children,
- childhood rhinitis of any etiology,
- colds of the upper respiratory tract.
The drug is contraindicated in children under 6 years of age. For kids, there is Vicks in the form of fizzy drinks, soluble in liquid.
They can be used from 2 years of age. Half of the effervescent tablet is dissolved in juice, compote, tea or water. Children from 6 to 14 years old are given a whole tablet. This drug is used as part of a combination treatment for sinusitis (sinusitis, sinusitis), purulent rhinitis, as well as complicated otitis media.
The drug is also contraindicated for children with cardiovascular pathologies, as well as any metabolic disorders. The medicine is not used for children with visual impairments or with the development of atrophy of the nasal mucosa. In case of disturbances in the functioning of the liver and kidneys, the drug is prescribed only according to the indications of a specialist.
Side effects
On the side of the immune system:
hypersensitivity reactions, incl. visipannya, itching, angioneurotic swelling.
On the side of the dichotomy system:
discomfort in the nose, liver or dryness of the nasal mucosa, dryness and soreness in the mouth and throat, coughing, nosebleeds. Once the effect of the drug has worn off, you may experience severe nasal congestion (reactive hyperemia). Apnea in newborns and young children (especially in cases of overdose).
From the side of the organs:
teasing eyes, redness or discomfort.
On the side of the nervous system:
headache, insomnia, anxiety, drowsiness, restlessness, tremor, sedation, restlessness, especially important in children, hallucinations (especially in children), increased fatigue.
On the side of the cardiovascular system:
tachycardia, increased heart rate, arterial hypertension, arrhythmia.
Zagalni destruction:
reactive hyperemia, headache, fatigue, exanthema and blurred vision.
Compound
100 ml of solution contains:
Active substance: oxymetazoline hydrochloride 0.05 g
Excipients: sorbitol (70% aqueous solution) 5.0 g, sodium citrate dihydrate 0.875 g, tyloxapol 0.7 g, chlorhexidine bigluconate (20% solution) 0.27 g, anhydrous citric acid 0.2 g, aloe vera 0 .1 g, benzalkonium chloride (50% solution) 0.04 g, levomenthol 0.015 g, acesulfame potassium 0.015 g, cineole 0.013 g, L-carvone 0.01 g, disodium edetate 0.01 g, sodium hydroxide (0.1 M solution) to pH 5.4, distilled water to 100 ml.
